![Fighting bullfighting with paint, press and nudity [EXPLICIT]](https://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/wp-content/themes/phototouch/themify/img.php?src=https://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/REU-SPAIN_-91.jpg&w=670&h=274)
Fighting bullfighting with paint, press and nudity [EXPLICIT]
The “Running of the Bulls” rose out of the growing popularity of bullfighting in western European countries like Spain and Portugal. It’s exact origin remains unknown, possibly due the hundreds of concussions and contusions reported each year since modern record-keeping of these events began in 1924.
To this day, the annual bull run in Pamplona, Spain, and the ensuing bullfights of the San Fermin festival, stand out as one of the world’s most popular. While the run itself lasts a mere 4 minutes, the fighting bulls of Pamplona have prodded their way into the pages of classic literature and onto the big screen. (See the opening scene of City Slickers.)
Due to the innate violence of bullfighting, and the captivating draw of the bull runs that proceed them, protests have increased in recent years. With demonstrations like the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ “Running of the Nudes,” each year animal rights activists organize flashy, and often gory displays to relay their messages against bullfighting.
The selections below contain barely-covered activists interspersed with violent bullfighting images from which they derive their inspiration. Be advised that this story may not be suitable for younger viewers.
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in fake blood and black paint as they form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival, in Pamplona July 5, 2012. The annual week-long fiesta gets underway July 6, with the first bull run in the morning of July 7. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- “Running of the Nudes,” Pamplona, Spain, 2007 (Melissa Karpel for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
-
- Spanish bullfighter Julian Lopez “El Juli” drives the sword into a bull during a “Corrida Goyesca” bullfight in Ronda, southern Spain, September 3, 2011. In the annual “Corrida Goyesca” fight in Ronda’s historic bullring the bullfighters wear costumes from the era of 18th Century painter Francisco Goya. (Jon Nazca/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in fake blood and black paint as they prepare to form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival, in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights activist of “Pacma” party demonstrate at Plaza del Castillo during the first day of the San Fermin running of the bulls on July 7, 2012 in Pamplona, Spain. Handkerchief reads ‘Because animals are important’. Pamplona’s famous Fiesta de San Fermin, which involves the running of the bulls through the historic heart of Pamplona for eight days starting July 7th, was made famous by the 1926 novel of U.S. writer Ernest Hemmingway called “The Sun Also Rises.” (Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)
-
- An activist wearing a bull mask takes part in a rally to protest against bullfighting, on April 17, 2012 in Mexico City. The demonstrators are demanding the Legislature to put a stop to bullfights in Mexico. (Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images)
-
- Members of the pro-animal groups PETA and Anima Naturalis stage a protest against bullfighting with their bodies covered in paint in front of the Town Hall, in the Northern Spanish city of Pamplona, on July 5, 2012, ahead of the San Fermin Festivities. The festival is a symbol of Spanish culture that attracts thousands of tourists to watch the bull runs despite heavy condemnation from animal rights groups. (Rafa Rivas/AFP/Getty Images)
-
- A bullfighter’s assistant kills a bull during the first bullfight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 7, 2012. (Joseba Etxaburu/Reuters)
-
- Demonstrators lie on the ground covered with fake blood during a protest against bullfighting outside Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, Sunday May 24, 2009. (Paul White/AP Photo)
-
- Members of the PACMA (Against Animal Crualty Antibull Party) organization stage a protest against bullfighting during the San Fermin Festival, on July 7, 2012, in Pamplona, northern Spain. The festival is a symbol of Spanish culture that attracts thousands of tourists to watch the bull runs despite heavy condemnation from animal rights groups. (Pedro Armestre/AFP/Getty Images)
-
- Spanish bullfighter Antonio Ferrera performs during the first bullfight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 7, 2012. (Joseba Etxaburu/Reuters)
-
- Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) hold a rally at the Spanish Embassy to the US 21 June, 2005 in Washington, DC. The PETA activists where promoting their fourth annual “Running of the Nudes” held in Pamplona, Spain to protest the famed “Running of the Bulls.” (Karen/AFP/Getty Images)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in fake blood and black paint as they form the shape of a bull during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, three days before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 3, 2011. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in fake blood and black paint as they form the shape of a bull during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, three days before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 3, 2011. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Spanish bullfighter Eduardo Gallo performs during the first bullfight of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 7, 2012. (Joseba Etxaburu/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in fake blood as they form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival, in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Activists create a giant bull shape with their bodies covered with paint during a protest against bullfighting in Cali, department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia, on June 30, 2011. (Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images)
-
- Peru’s bullfighter Juan Carlos Cubas is tackled by a bull during a bullfight at Peru’s historic Plaza de Acho bullring in Lima November 14, 2010. (Pilar Olivares/Reuters)
-
- A girl looks at animal rights protesters as they lie covered in fake blood and black paint while forming the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in black paint as they form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in black paint as they form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- People and journalists look at a girl who does some gymnastic exercises during a march in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona 05 July 2004 to protest against bull fighting and bull run, that will be celebrated from July 7th until July 14th as part of the traditional festivities of San Fermin in Pamplona. The demonstration was organized by the pro animal and anti bullfighting association People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). (Rafa Rivas/AFP Photo)
-
- People stop to take a photograph with their mobile phones of protesters from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) demonstrating outside the Spanish Embassy June 21, 2005 in Washington, DC. PETA was demonstrating against the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona which they believe leads to cruel and inhumane treatment of animals.(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
-
- The body of Navajito (Little Blade) is dragged away to be taken to the slaughter house following the second bullfight after being killed by Spanish bullfighter Javier Castano at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 8, 2012. The 640-kg (1,430 lbs) Miura fighting bull had earlier raced ahead of the pack of fellow bulls during Sunday morning’s Running of the Bulls, scattering runners in Estafeta Street and landing two in hospital. (Joseba Etxaburu/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights activist covering theirs bodies with blood and wearing fake ”banderillas” barbed darts during a protest in Pamplona, prior to start the nine day at San Fermin Festival on Monday in Pamplona, northern Spain, Sunday, July 5, 2009. (Alvaro Barrientos/AP Photo)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in fake blood as they form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival, in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Spanish bullfighter Jose Tomas is tossed by a bull during a bullfight at Monumental bullring in Barcelona in this July 5, 2009 file photo. Lawmakers delivered the death blow to bullfighting in Catalonia on July 28, 2010, outlawing the centuries-old blood sport for the first time in a mainland region of Spain. (Carlos Cazalis/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in black paint as they form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
-
- Spanish bullfighters David Mora (L) and Ivan Fandino celebrate after being awarded with a bull’s ear following bullfights at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona July 10, 2012. (Eloy Alonso/Reuters)
-
- Animal rights protesters lie covered in fake blood and black paint as they form the words “Stop bullfighting” during a demonstration calling for the abolition of bull runs and bullfights, a day before the start of the famous running of the bulls San Fermin festival, in Pamplona July 5, 2012. (Susana Vera/Reuters)
Annual running of the bulls begins in Spain, one gored
Reuters
7:31 p.m. EDT, July 7, 2012
PAMPLONA, Spain — A 73-year-old Spanish man was gored in the right leg on the first day of the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona and a 21-year-old Japanese runner was dragged by a bull, authorities said.
Those were two of six runners who were rushed to the hospital after the frenetic race down the narrow cobblestone streets of the old Spanish town. One of the others taken to the hospital was a 26-year-old Australian who suffered a knee injury. The Red Cross also treated 72 others for minor injuries at the scene, authorities said.
The runner from Ikeda, Japan — whose gender was not immediately released — was dragged by what appeared to be a bull’s horn, hooked through clothing, on the pavement downhill toward the bullring, images from Spanish state television showed. The runner suffered back injuries.
There have been 15 deaths since record-keeping began in 1924 and thousands of injuries in the tradition that dates back 400 years.
Baltimore neighborhoods
Baltimore street photographers
Year in review
Freddie Gray: protests, aftermath
24 hours with...
A. Aubrey Bodine
Viewing Baltimore from above