Ten injured at final bull run of San Fermín in Pamplona – US influencer arrested

A German had already been injured at the third bull run of this year's festival. The 29-year-old was struck in the left arm by a bull's horn. In total, more than 70 participants were injured in this year's eight runs, but only five by goring.

The San Fermín festival in honour of the city's patron saint, San Fermín, began on 6 July and has been celebrated in Pamplona since 1591. Every morning, six fighting bulls, some weighing more than 600 kilograms, are driven together with tame oxen through the approximately 825-metre-long streets of the old town to the arena for the bullfights beginning in the late afternoon. Despite all the controversy, the festival continues to attract tens of thousands of tourists from around the world, especially from Europe, Asia and the USA.

Fatal Accidents and Protests

The American writer Ernest Hemingway wrote about Pamplona in his first major novel "The Sun Also Rises" (1926). The work made the bull run internationally famous and has contributed to the event's reputation to this day.

Since records began in 1924, there have also been 16 fatalities at the bull runs. Most of them died from goring. The last fatality occurred in 2009, when a then 27-year-old was fatally struck in the neck. The young man's parents have travelled to Pamplona every year since to commemorate their son.

Consequences for the Influencer

Animal welfare groups also protested against the tradition-steeped event this year. Critics speak of "medieval torture." Animal welfare organizations have been calling for years for an end to the bull runs and the subsequent bullfights in the arena.

The authorities announced that they would examine the incident involving the US influencer from a legal perspective. The police pointed out that violations of safety regulations during the bull run would be consistently prosecuted. Pamplona is located in northern Spain and is internationally known primarily for the annual runs in July.

The San Fermín celebrations continue until 14 July. In the coming days, further cultural events and processions in honour of the city's patron saint, San Fermín, are also expected in Pamplona.

(APA, 14.7.2026)