Tag Archives: bullfighting

Guardia Civil gives trainee officers bullfighting classes

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There is uproar today after it was revealed that 250 Guardia Civil trainee officers were given a course on bullfighting as part of their training in Jaén this week. One of their teachers swapped the police tricorn hat for a bullfighters cap and cape, to show students how to properly torture a cow to death. The students were not impressed, with a number of videos making their way onto the internet and a complaint being Continue reading Guardia Civil gives trainee officers bullfighting classes→

Roquetas townhall caught using spam bots to promote bullfights

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Roquetas townhall has been using spam bots to promote the towns bullfighting festivals across social media networks, according to a complaint from the opposition IU party. The ruling PP party under Mayor Gabriel Amat has for years been promoting bullfighting in Roquetas, paying tens of thousands a year from townhall coffers to organise them. Part of the excuse for the bullfights was that it attracts tourism, and the townhall has in the past pointed to Continue reading Roquetas townhall caught using spam bots to promote bullfights→

New bullfighting museum of Cordoba opens

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And this time, they’ve remembered to include a bull. It’s taken 10 years and 3,5 million euros to refit the museum, but the Museo Taurino de Córdoba has finally reopened to the public. But, with an eye to the change in public opinion, the gist of the museum has changed slightly – it’s now more about the bulls than the bullfighters.

VAT on bullfighting could drop to 10%

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Currently, VAT (IVA) on all cultural activities is taxed at 21% (luxury). This includes theatre tickets, entertainment values, works of art, etc. The government has confirmed it is studying reducing the VAT on works of art to 10% in order to help Spanish artists. However, the tax break would only be on handcrafted individual works of art. Another item that could be dropped is the cost of going to a bullfight, as part of Madrids Continue reading VAT on bullfighting could drop to 10%→

Bullfighting “not a problem” for kids TV says RTVE

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The Spanish state broadcaster has said it doesn’t see any problems with broadcasting live bullfights on national TV during daylight hours, and that its fine with small children watching them. “The showing of Bullfighting does not affect children” said RTVE. “It is a cultural spectacle which should be treated normally within our programming guidelines” continued the broadcaster when a Parliamentary select committee asked it if was appropriate to show the violent injury and death of Continue reading Bullfighting “not a problem” for kids TV says RTVE→

Ortega Cano asks for official pardon and blows 2,3 million on a new farm

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Not expecting to go to jail, then? Ortega Cano is a famous bullfighter who drunkenly hit and run a man in 2011, killing him. After a long fight by the family of the deceased, which saw Seville Authorities doing all they could to not prosecute Ortega (police tampering with the evidence, judges dismissing evidence, witnesses being intimidated, etc etc etc) eventually, thanks to media pressure and overwhelming cockiness by Ortega’s family, he was sent down Continue reading Ortega Cano asks for official pardon and blows 2,3 million on a new farm→

Ric Polankys new book about bullfighting published

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My old pal Ric Polanksy’s latest book, “Ole! Capturing the Passion of Bullfighters and Aficionados in the 21st Century” is out and available on Amazon. Ric tells me that: Within it’s pages you’ll find the best photos on this planet concerning “the bulls” along with some very erudite writings on the subject. Hemingway’s grandson has contributed along with Jim Merys who did the biography on the English matador Henry Higgins and many more. Well worth Continue reading Ric Polankys new book about bullfighting published→

Bullfighting to return to Catalunya this autumn

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The government has announced that it will enact legislation declaring bullfighting to be a National Heritage which will overturn the Catalonian prohibition on bullfighting. Once the legislation is passed in Congress (it hasn’t been presented yet) then regional and local governments will be powerless to ban bullfights, although they could think up spurious reasons to refuse them licenses.    

Bullfighting back on TVE after six years absence

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The bulls are back on TVE (national Spanish TV) after a six year hiatus. TV coverage by TVE of national bullfights was cancelled under the previous socialist leadership, but the PP appears to have put pressure on the national broadcaster to bring it back. TVE1 at 18:00: Feria de Valladolid. Vuelven los toros a Televisión Española. Seis años después de la última retransmisión, la cadena pública emite en directo la corrida de la Feria de Continue reading Bullfighting back on TVE after six years absence→

San Sebastian refuses bullfighting from 2013

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The city of San Sebastian, under the nationalist Bildu mayor Juan Karlos Izagirre, has announced that it will refuse all license permits for bullfighting events in the city as from next year. The nationalist group Bildu has said, and Juan Karlos (note the K) agrees, that it is 100% anti-bullfighting and looks forwards to the day that it is finally dropped across Spain, and that next years “la Semana Grande” of San Sebastian will be, Continue reading San Sebastian refuses bullfighting from 2013→