Injuries at another bull run during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona

It is already the second bull run within a few days in which runners came to harm. Animal rights groups had also protested against the traditional event again this year. The festival, which has been held in Pamplona since 1591, has long been controversial in Spain. The organizers see the runs as a traditional custom, while critics consider the risk of injury to humans and animals to be no longer in keeping with the times.

Tradition and Criticism

Since 1924, 16 people have died in the bull runs, according to statistics cited by Spanish media. The last recorded fatality dates from 2009. According to this information, most deaths are attributable to goring by the fighting bulls.

In the assessment of observers, injuries are part of the recurring risk of the event. Every year, participants would be injured during the runs, the reports said. The city of Pamplona and the organizers usually respond to incidents with emergency medical care along the route and transport of the injured to nearby hospitals.

Number of Injuries and Fatalities

This year's San Fermín festival continues until next Tuesday inclusive. After the daily morning runs through the old town, further bull runs are scheduled in the coming days, each followed by bullfights in the city's arena.

Animal rights organizations had called for protests even before the start of the festival week and demanded a ban on the bull runs. Spanish society has been divided on the issue for years: while parts of the population defend the custom as cultural heritage, others view it increasingly critically. Discussions about a ban or stricter safety requirements are regularly picked up in the Spanish media.

The San Fermín runs gained international fame primarily through the US author Ernest Hemingway, who processed them literarily in his work. Today, the festival week attracts tourists from many countries, some of whom follow the runs from balconies and barriers along the route.

Safety Precautions and Upcoming Runs

The authorities in Navarra, the region in which Pamplona is located, have adjusted safety precautions several times in recent years. These include reinforced barriers, medical posts along the route, and shorter running times for the herds. Nevertheless, injuries occur at every festival because the animals react unpredictably and the route runs through narrow old town streets.

For the coming days, the organizers have announced further San Fermín runs. Given the incidents so far this year, observers expect the debate over participant safety and the handling of the fighting bulls to continue.