The bullfighting in Gijón (Asturias) has been banned by the National Police. The mayor of the city, Ana González (PSOE), announced this Wednesday the decision of her party. On 13, 14 and 15 August the Begoña fair was held in the bullring in El Bibio, and the last bullring took place on Sunday. Two of the animals that they killed toreando were baptized as Feminist and Nigerian, and with it, González has denounced the crossing of several “red lines” that cannot be crossed.

The City of Gijón had already granted the bullfighting in El Bibio since 2016. But they're not going to renew the contract. The voices against Tauromaquia have been popularized in the city for a long time, but for the mayor this fact has served to advance the decision to ban bulls. He has denounced that the celebration has received a clear ideological stain, which has been used to "spread an ideology contrary to human rights". He added that “a city that believes in equality and integration of women and men cannot accept that.”

The associations defending Tauromaquia are opposed to the decision of the Council of Deputies. In his view, the decision to ban bullfighting was taken a long time ago, and what happened on Sunday served as an "excuse" to Gonzalez to achieve it. The Union of Bull Breeders of Lidia explained in a statement that the establishment of these names to bulls has an explanation: The animals come from breeds called Feminist and Nigerian, and the regulations that establish the bulls of Lidia compel them to put these names. The ban is based on the mayor's "lack of knowledge" about livestock and the rural world, so they have asked the City Hall to correct it.

Violation of rights

The Toro de Lidia Foundation, for its part, has taken a step further in the race. The association has explained that González has acted intentionally and “totalitarian” against the different ways of understanding culture. “The mayor of Gijón wants to demolish the Tauromaquia for the same reason that the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas, as they consider these cultural manifestations immoral.” At the international level, UNESCO has pointed out that “the culture of minorities and indigenous peoples must be respected” and the Spanish Government, in its Law of Tauromaquia 18/2013, considers bullfighting to be a heritage of humanity. That is why the Foundation has called for the collaboration of the Public Administration in the defence of what is supposed to be its right.

The president of pp, Pablo González, coincided with the associations in favor of Tauromaquia. The decision of the PSOE has described politics as “ideological imposition”: “The most radical socialism seeks to limit the rights of the Gijoneses.” In addition, it has announced the launch of a campaign of signatures for bullfights to be reorganised.