Bullfighting is still popular and legal in many countries—France, Spain (outlawed in some cities), Portugal, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, and some cities in Mexico. This fact was a surprise to me. Another troubling surprise is how many are killed –tormented–for this “sport.” Worldwide, about 250,000 bulls are killed a year according to the Humane Society International. Many people attend bullfights, but outside the bullring, animal rights activists object to the bloody sport.
The largest bullfighting ring in the world is near the Plaza de México in Mexico City. Demonstrators frequently protested the events by waving banners with slogans such as “No more deaths!” They shouted “Torture is not art, it is not culture.” Recently, activists filed a lawsuit, and a judge issued a court order to suspend the events in Mexico City.
In the 1800s bullfights were common entertainments in the Republic of Mexico, which included the territory of Alta California. Pitting bulls against captured bears was also accepted as entertainment near the California missions after Sunday Mass and during week-long wedding celebrations.