Loud jeering at the bullring and loud cheering in the plaza del Castillo Square

08/07/2010. Both a protesting and sporting afternoon: a loud protest against the Mayor and loud support for the German-Spain football semi-final

Yesterday afternoon was a frantic affair. On the one hand, the Peña clubs took the opportunity of the presence of the Mayor, Yolanda Barcina, at the bullfight to show their dissatisfaction about the recent events in taking two Peña clubs to court over the drawings on their banners at last year's fiestas. Meanwhile, a giant screen in the plaza Del Castillo main square of Pamplona broadcast the German-Spain soccer match and it was followed by thousands of young people who, in their great majority, hailed the Spanish victory.

The occasion of the first bullfight of this year's fiestas served as an opportunity for the Peña clubs to berate the Mayor of Pamplona, Yolanda Barcina. The quarrel between the Peña clubs and City Hall gave rise to loud jeering and whistling just before the start of the afternoon bullfights. The Peña clubs also carried black banners that were held up in the sunny side of the bullring. Some German flags could also be seen among the crowd.

A few hours later, thousands of people followed the football game between Germany and Spain on a giant screen in the main square. The Spanish victory set off a wave of enthusiasm, although some protests against the team of Vicente del Bosque, could also be heard, especially when a Peña club began to cross the main square after coming out of the bullring. However, there was no trouble of any kind caused.

In the early hours of the morning it was learnt that a young man from Cadiz had suffered a knife wound after being attacked, it seems, for wearing the tee shirt of the national football team. According to hte police reort, he and his firiends were shouted at as being "Spanish shit" and this was when the assault took place. The knife wound reached the lung which has caused a neuro-thorax and the patient is recovering in one of the Pamplona hospitals.

It must be remembered that now the 11th of July will have even more importance. On that day the Peña clubs will boycott the bullring in protest at the behavior of City Hall with regard to two of the Peña clubs last year. And on the same afternoon Spain will play Holland in The World Cup Final 2010.