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VIDEO: Bull breaks through fence and gores onlooker at Spanish Easter event
Various people were trampled and one person broke several bones after the bull lashed out at spectators
This Saturday April 19 in the little Spanish town of Arcos de la Frontera, in the Andalusian province of Cádiz, there was terror and panic when a 1,300lb bull that was being used as part of a traditional bull running event broke through the security fence separating it from the hundreds of onlookers on the street, sending them running for their lives.
The animal, a Spanish bull weighing 590 kilos called Infinto, was being kept in a holding box before being released as part of the Toro del Aleluya bull running event organised in conjunction with the local town hall, in which the bull would be taunted and made to chase humans down the street.
As soon as Infinito was let out of his box, instead of running straight ahead, he turned to charge directly through a metal security barrier next to him where a large crowd was waiting expectantly.
The bull managed to injure at least one person in the attack, breaking some bones.
Town mayor Miguel Rodríguez said he “thanked God” that the animal “re-entered the same way it came out”, preventing any greater harm coming to the spectators.
“What we had was a bull horn wound, which is stable. We send [the injured person] a hug and wish them a speedy recovery,” he said. “And then there were various trampling injuries. The avalanche obviously led to some bone fractures. But they were minor things that could have happened.”
Following the incident, the mayor said that “some reinforcements have been made to the ground”.
“You can see how there is even a chain around the fence which, in addition to all the anchoring, is reinforcing the fence to the ground [so] nothing should happen now. It shouldn’t have happened yesterday, but today, with the extra reinforcement of the fence, even less so.”
A bull running event aimed especially at children was also being advertised for the same day. Pacma, the political party focused on animal rights issues in Spain, has roundly criticised the entire bull running event on its social media accounts.
These bull running and fighting events are still extremely common during fiestas in towns and villages all over Spain. Often, after the bull running finishes and the bulls have become exhausted and frequently injured, they are taken to be slaughtered by professional and specialised bull butchers.
Images: Ayuntamiento de Arcos de la Frontera
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