Human race

The human running of the bulls was celebrated during six consecutive years by PETA.

The human running of the bulls was celebrated during six consecutive years by PETA. A few months before Sanfermin 2008, this organization announced that it was changing its policy of awakening cruelty-to-animals consciousness and it would not be present at Sanfermin until further notice was issued. Their contention was that these gatherings for the human running of the bulls served only to bring even more international media coverage of the event which only led to more people coming to the fiestas - something which was counter-productive to their aims.

Since then, they have chosen other venues around the world to make their protest against bull fighting and the running of the bulls. In 2008, their place was taken instead by Animanaturalis who made a protest outside the bull ring with some 60 people stretched out on the ground dabbed with red paint as if they had been stabbed by banderillas. Their protest was more obviously against cruelty in the bull ring.

In addition, on the 12th of July, 2008, eight members of the anti-bull organization, Equanimal, managed to slip past the fencing and get onto the course of the running of the bulls to try to prevent the event taking place. The local police quickly broke up the protest and the running of the bulls took place without any further problems.

Background of the Human Running of the Bulls

Between 2002-2007, each fifth of July saw the presence of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in Pamplona. During each of these years they organized a very original running which was meant to emulate the traditional running of the bulls. Their aim was to protest against the use of animals for human diversion. Their particular run started at the Puente de Curtidores Bridge at one o'clock in the afternoon. From there it made its way up to Santo Domingo. For security reasons, the route was always diverted here by the local police and the protestors had to march behind the old public market site behind the Town Hall and up to The Labrit slope. After reaching the bull ring, a speech was read out at the entrance to the bull ring.

What caught everyone's attention about this protest was the fact that most of the participants marched naked or semi-naked. As the event proved to be entertaining, festive and pacific, the Local Government authorized the march and supervised the security of the marchers.

The human running of the bulls as the event was called, achieved a lot of mention in the media as this kind of naked protest was so unusual. Year after year, more and more people joined the PETA protest so that the number of participants increased from 20 -odd people in the first year to hundreds of participants in 2007.

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