Barcelona condemns bullfighting

Bullfighting provokes harsh criticism from many in the European Union.


Wednesday, April 7, 2004 Posted: 0032 GMT (0832 HKT)

Barcelona's town hall has passed a resolution condemning bullfighting and declaring the city as Spain's first to oppose the centuries-old sport.

The vote is nonbinding and does not ban bullfighting in Spain's second-largest city. Only the regional parliament of Catalonia can do that.

The vote in the Socialist-led council was 21-15. Debate came after councilors received a petition from animal rights groups containing 245,000 signatures gathered in 30 countries.

The resolution said bulls are "sensitive both mentally and physically."

Last summer the Catalan regional parliament barred children under 14 from attending bullfights.

It made the northeast region, the capital of which is Barcelona, the first in Spain to keep kids out of the arena, hoping to limit their exposure to violence.

Tuesday's vote came right after the start of the bullfighting season in Catalonia, which runs from late March to late September.