8 out of 10 'correbous' bull-related events could be banned under new law
Events where bulls have ropes or sparklers attached to them are especially popular in southern Catalonia
No bullfights have been held in Catalonia since 2011 but 'correbous' – events involving bulls where the animals are not killed – are still commonplace, especially in the south.
The Catalan parliament is considering a change in the law, which would see eight out of ten 'correbous' events partially or completely banned, based on analysis from the Catalan News Agency (ACN) of figures provided by the Department of the Interior after a freedom of information request.
The new legislation would outlaw 'bous capllaçats' – where ropes are tied around the bull's horns to guide it and stop it charging as it is walked through the streets – and 'bous embolats' – where metal attachments with flammable material are placed on the bull's head and then lit up like sparklers.
These two activities were included in 85.7% of the authorized 'correbous' festivals that took place in Catalonia between 2009 and November 2023.
Although the animals are not killed as in bullfighting, the vast majority of people in Catalonia believe 'correbous' are a form of animal cruelty.
The department gave permission for 702 'correbous' festivals in the last 15 years, with most of them lasting for more than one day, resulting in 2,985 days of bull-related events. Over 80%, 602 out of 702, featured 'bous capllaçats' or 'bous embolats'.
The other festivals featured other bull-related events that will not be banned under the potential new rules, such as 'bous a la plaça' (bulls in the square), where bulls are let loose in an enclosure surrounded by protective barriers and stands for the public.
Around 90% of 'correbous' events in the last 15 years took place in Montsià and Baix Ebre, Catalonia's two southernmost regions.