Five injured at first bull run of San Fermín festival in Pamplona

Criticism and protests

Animal rights activists accuse the event of animal cruelty. They describe the run as "medieval torture" and have been calling for an end to the tradition for years. The festival is also now controversial within Spain. The participants in the bull run are predominantly young men.

The organizers point to the centuries-old tradition. Pamplona has cultivated the festival in its present form with the daily bull runs over many generations. At the same time, social pressure to reconsider the event is growing.

Outlook for the coming days

Further runs are expected for the current year until the festival ends next Tuesday. In this year's premiere, the run was described by the organizers as comparatively mild. However, injuries have been a regular part of the reporting for years.

Three of the five injured had to be taken to hospitals, according to the broadcaster. Nothing was initially known about their exact condition. Medical personnel were deployed along the route to provide immediate care to those affected.

Image material of the bull run is, according to the information provided, from Keystone/AP Miguel Oses as well as from Keystone/EPA EFE (Villar Lopez and Ainhoa Tejerina). The photos show runners and animals on the route through the old town.