Animal welfare

Sa Pobla becomes 34th municipality to back bullfighting ban

A protest against the bullfight held in Inca last weekend. | Miquel A. Cañellas

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterSa Pobla03/06/2016 00:00

Sa Pobla has become the latest town in Majorca to declare that it is against bullfighting and to call for the banning of all types of mistreatment of animals and of events in which bulls feature, i.e. bullfights and the Fornalutx "correbou" bull-run. It is therefore the thirty-third municipality to do so; there are 34 in all, the other one being Sant Antoni de Portmany in Ibiza.

The spokesperson for the Mallorca Sense Sang (Majorca Without Blood) campaign, Guillem Amengual, says: "We continue with each firm step towards the abolition of bullfighting. Each day more municipalities reject torture and death for fun." On behalf of the campaign, Amengual has thanked Sa Pobla for "having taken such an important step for animals".

More than 350,000 signatures are now on the campaign's petition for abolition. Legislation to outlaw bullfighting in Majorca (and the Balearics, though there isn't any on the other islands) is expected to be approved some time this month.

The voting by councillors in Sa Pobla was seven in favour (three Més councillors, two from PSOE and two from El Pi) with four abstentions (all El Pi) and six against (all the Partido Popular).

Of municipalities which have made their declarations against bullfighting, it is perhaps easier to identify those which have not. There are 53 municipalities in all, and the twenty to have not made a declaration are: Alcudia, Andratx, Campos, Escorca, Estellencs, Felanitx, Fornalutx, Inca, Lloret de Vistalegre, Montuiri, Muro, Petra, Pollensa, Sant Llorenç, Santa Eugenia, Santa Margalida, Selva, Ses Salines, Sineu and Vilafranca.

Given that there has been some suggestion that PSOE might backtrack and seek not to ban the Fornalutx bull-run, Amengual says that he hopes the party does not take a step backwards and instead respects the promise made to thousands of people. "PSOE has a unique opportunity to make history in the Balearics. The bull-run is a clear demonstration of animal mistreatment, but because of the pressure of councillors in one municipality (Fornalutx), PSOE is hesitating."