Animal rights activists have demonstrated against the reinstatement of bullfighting in Mexico City after nearly two years of suspension.
The city hosted its first bullfight since 2022 on Sunday, following a judge’s ruling that temporarily halted the practice in response to a lawsuit filed by animal rights advocates.
The Supreme Court overturned the suspension last month, but a legal battle between supporters and opponents is expected to continue.
Reports indicate that the court’s decision focused on procedural matters, with a final verdict on the case’s merits pending.
Demonstrators gathered near the Plaza de México bullring, denouncing bullfighting as “torture” and emphasizing that it is not art or culture.
Protestors held banners declaring “no more deaths of innocents” and donned bull masks while painting themselves in red to symbolize the violence associated with the sport.
Meanwhile, inside the bullring, thousands celebrated the return of bullfighting, expressing sentiments of “long live freedom.”
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has suggested a referendum to determine the future of bullfighting in Mexico City.
According to Humane Society International, approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in bullfights worldwide each year.
While bullfighting remains legal in various regions of Mexico, the country is among the few that still permit the practice.
Other countries where bullfighting is legal include France, Portugal, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. Though legal in Spain, some cities have banned the tradition.
Source-BBC
