On 21 September, PACMA (formerly called the Spanish Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals) organised the annual Mission: Abolition demonstration outside Madrid's Las Ventas bullring, calling for a nationwide ban on bullfighting. The march, which attracted thousands of activists and opponents of the practice, wound through the main streets surrounding the arena, with participants chanting slogans such as "Not my culture" and "Shame."

PACMA’s president, Javier Luna, emphasised in a statement to Europa Press that the party's primary goal is abolishing all bullfighting events in Spain. "Spanish society condemns these events. The majority of people reject bullfighting. It is neither art nor culture," Luna stated.

PACMA also urged the European Union to pressure the Spanish government to ban bullfighting, which it considers a "national disgrace." Among the speakers at the protest was Esmeralda Hernández, a Colombian congresswoman and leading advocate for a bullfighting ban in her country, where such a law was signed in June 2024.

Is Corrida a cultural heritage?

PACMA is gathering signatures for a citizens' legislative initiative to repeal the law recognising bullfighting as part of Spain's cultural heritage. According to the Polish Press Agency, 300,000 of the required 500,000 signatures have already been collected. This law, passed in 2013 by a conservative government, aimed to protect bullfighting despite growing public opposition.

Around six million people in Spain still attend bullfighting events annually, with the industry generating over €3.5 billion for the Spanish economy.

Source: pap.pl, surinenglish.com