Tradiciones Crueles

Palma de Mallorca, España. The promotion of €9 children's tickets for the August 7th bullfight in Palma has reopened social wounds in the Balearic Islands. After PP and Vox's legal reform overturned the ban in place since 2017, animal rights groups, left-wing parties, and experts condemn children's exposure to what they call "institutionalized violence," while bullfighting supporters defend their right to transmit tradition.

Pamplona, España. Very few people know that the same bulls running through the streets during the traditional San Fermín encierros are killed in the bullring that same evening. It's not a secret, yet even the residents of Pamplona are largely unaware of this tragedy. This new investigation by our team sheds light on this hidden cruelty.

Dénia, España. On July 8th and 9th, investigators from AnimaNaturalis and CAS International documented one of the cruelest aspects of Dénia's local festivals: the 'bous a la mar' (bulls to the sea). This spectacle involves chasing young bulls and cows to force them off a purpose-built platform into the harbor waters. What is billed as tradition or entertainment becomes a hellscape for the animals – marked by sheer terror, physical blows, relentless heat, and utter exhaustion.

Sant Jaume d´Enveja, España. We visited Sant Jaume d'Enveja (Tarragona), one of the Catalan municipalities that organizes the most festivals, to expose the harassment and mockery that animals are subjected to in these popular celebrations.

Pamplona, España. In a powerful image evoking the Virgin Mary holding Christ's body, activists from AnimaNaturalis and PETA denounced bullfighting as a "sin" against compassion in Pamplona on July 5. The performance outside City Hall has ignited a profound debate in Navarrese and Spanish society about the future of bullfighting in the 21st century.

Sant Jaume d´Enveja, España. While documenting a traditional "correbou" bull event in Sant Jaume d'Enveja (Tarragona), members of AnimaNaturalis – including its director Aïda Gascón – were assaulted and threatened. The footage reveals not only animal cruelty but also escalating violence against those working to expose it.

Madrid, España. The recent proposal by Izquierda Unida and Podemos in the Parliament of La Rioja to prohibit minors from attending bullfighting events has once again focused attention on a crucial and persistent debate in Spain: the exposure of children to the violence of bullfighting.

Madrid, España. We reveal the hidden cost of public funding for bullfighting broadcasts on Spain’s regional television channels, which has increased in recent years, especially in those Autonomous Communities governed by the Partido Popular and VOX.

Madrid, España. During the height of the San Isidro celebrations, AnimaNaturalis and CAS International activists held a historic demonstration at Las Ventas bullring, calling for the abolition of bullfighting and an end to public subsidies for bullfights. Supported by citizen backing and irrefutable evidence, they exposed how this declining tradition is propped up using funds from all citizens.