Spain’s Catalonia region to consider outlawing bullfighting

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Spanish region to mull bullfighting ban

MADRID — A bill that seeks to ban bullfighting in Spain’s Catalonia region cleared its first hurdle in the local legislature Friday.

A citizen’s lobby group, which argues that bullfighting amounts to cruelty to animals, collected 180,000 signatures in favor of a ban. The bill stems from this initiative.

But many see a political motive in the campaign. Catalonia has substantial pro-independence sentiment that rejects symbols of traditional Spain, such as bullfighting.

Friday’s vote in the 135-seat regional parliament in Barcelona was on whether to take up the bill formally for debate. It passed by a 67-59 vote, with five abstentions.

It now goes to parliamentary commissions for study. A final debate and a vote on whether to outlaw bullfighting in Catalonia is still a few months off.