The Prefectures of Castellon has imposed a fine of 6,000 euros on each of the 35 activists who prevented a bull from being set on fire for ”sport” in the town of Olocau del Rey. This is the highest penalty imposed on Spain for such a crime and has been possible thanks to the new so-called ‘gag law’.(see related posts below) We publish the testimony of one of those people, unsigned for fear of further reprisals.
One of the people fined 6,000 euros in Olocau recounts the facts and assaults
en Castellano abajo On the evening of December 5th I went with a group of activists for the defense of animal rights to the town of Olocau del Rey in Castellon with the intention of preventing an innocent animal being tortured by placing balls of fire on his head, something considered inconceivable outside borders of this country is , as is logical for any civilized mind.
![anti Bullfight demo at recent Toro De La Vega](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/image1.jpg?w=474&h=257)
Without any presence of the Security Forces of the State (which, in the ‘celebration’ of an ‘event’ of its kind, is not understood and is an irregularity, if not illegality), at 22:15 we all united around the pylon used to immobilize the bull while it is set on fire.
None of us chained ourselves, as the reports claimed. That is not true. Four or five agents of the Civil Guard arrived more than an hour later. ….
![anti buillfight activists save a wounded colleague after attack by pro bullfight mob at recent Toro de La Vega](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/herida-manifestacion-toro-vega_tinima20140916_0945_5.png?w=474&h=266)
We were there all that time, supporting spitting and verbal and physical violence from many residents who now, as usual, are claiming to be the victims, accusing us of insulting them. Our action was quite peaceful (and there are pictures to prove it), while, for example, the cameraman and reporter of The Sixth Channel had to rush out of there within minutes as a result of the threats .
![the 'embolar' ''sport'' consists of tying fire onto the animals horns while tied to a post. This is whar the accused prevented, with a total of 200,000 euros in fines against them](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/correbou1.jpg?w=474)
We also have evidence that they began to take the bull out of the truck to tie it to the pylon. Finally, someone from outside the village had some sanity, warning that it could be considered attempted murder, and they were stopped at the last moment from doing so.
Those few agents of the Civil Guard took our ID numbers in order to denounce us, as has now happemned. We refused to move from beside the pylon until 00:00, at which time the authorization to torture the animal and liability insurance expired .The Civil Guard ordered us to leave and since we had the assurance that that night they could not do any torture, we did so peacefully and voluntarily (there were too few police there to have forced us).
![arrest at an earlier demo](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/1012274.jpg?w=474)
Leaving the village was daunting. The anger of the locals grew when they realized that they could not carry out their sinister purpose, so that, with the weak protection of those four or five policemen, we end up having to run away. I myself ran the gauntlet with four comrades to my car rushing because the villagers had started to cut the exit road. That was when we were assaulted (as reported) with some injuries (including mine), also vehicles of our colleagues were stoned , with broken windows and more damage.
This is the country where we live, where protecting and even subsidizing the torture of an innocent animal is normal, while oppose these dirty tricks is given astronomical penalties as an ”example”.
Sometimes I have the feeling that the world has lost its way, I think there are people who do not know the meaning of the word “example”. But we not intend to be an example of anything, we just felt we were where we needed to be.
Incidentally, the Mayor of Olocau says, if you read his recent statements, that we were cowards and fame-seekers because we carried out our action in a village of 110 inhabitants rather than a bigger one. He can never understand is that for us a life is a life, either in Olocau or in the center of Madrid.
![elite butchers](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/toro-de-la-vega-2013.jpg?w=474&h=360)
rough translation by The Free original here.. Olocau-agresiones-
84% of young Spaniards aged 16 to 24 years are ashamed of bullfighting
By Kaos. Animal rights Support for bullfighting has declined from 30% to 19% in the past three years and the percentage of young people 16-24 years old who reject the bulls reach the 84% …according to a survey by Ipsos Mori for the World Animal Protection organization.
The survey was conducted on the eve of the general elections last December 20 and, by the platform Torture is Not Culture -and showed there is a “drastic fall in support of the Spanish bullfighting.”
![2015.. biggest ever anti animal torture demo](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/stop-toro-de-la-vega.jpg?w=474)
The study was conducted with1,059 adults aged 16-65 years in Spain.
In addition, research indicates that “only” 7% of respondents between 16 and 24 years old supported bullfighting compared to 29% of the group of 55-65 years old. In the group of 16-34 years, 71% oppose bullfighting, compared with 10% supporting it and among Spaniards aged 35 to 65 years of age,.
![Manifestación antitaurina en Tordesillas en el toro de la Vega. Fran Jiménez](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/m9-876771287.jpg?w=474&h=283)
Fran Jiménez
In particular, the answer given by 84% of respondents of these young people was to be “little or nothing proud” to live in a country where bullfighting is a cultural tradition. The figure drops to 67% of respondents between 16 and 65 years old.
Also, 73% of respondents say they do not agree with public support of the bullfighting industry and the same percentage disagrees that public funds are used to promote bullfighting as part of the national heritage of Spain.
Regarding the tournament at Toro de la Vega, it has only 5% support among adults 16-65 years old and 75% rejection.
The regional director of World Animal Protection, Ruud Tombrock, believes that bullfighting, as well as any other form of animal cruelty in the name of culture, “is no excuse for torture” and believes Animal torture should not exist “anywhere in the world let alone in a modern and progressive nation like Spain.”
World Animal Protection said the results are a “fantastic opportunity” to try and ensure that Spanish politicians listen to their citizens and urged politicians to “have vision” and to adopt a firm stance on the issue. They also called for an end to the use of precious public funds for these festivities which are “ruthless and dying traditions and should go down in history.”
The president of the platform Torture is not Culture, Marta Esteban, said that bullfighting is “mortally wounded in Spain” and that it will collapse in the next five years. In particular, she pointed to declining attendance at bullfights by 54% since 2007.
Una de las personas multadas con 6.000 euros en Olocau relata los hechos y las agresiones sufridas
![00](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://i2.wp.com/kaosenlared.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/00-169-300x169.jpg)
La noche del pasado 5 de diciembre un grupo de activistas por la defensa de los derechos animales acudimos al pueblo castellonense de Olocau del Rey con la intención de impedir que un ser inocente fuera torturado colocándole bolas de fuego en su cabeza, algo que fuera de las fronteras de este país se considera inconcebible, como es lógico para cualquier mente civilizada.
Sin la presencia de un solo miembro de las Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad del Estado (algo que, ante la ‘celebración’ de un ‘evento’ de este tipo, no se entiende y supone una irregularidad, si no una ilegalidad), a las 22:15 horas todos nos unimos alrededor del pilón que usan para inmovilizar al toro mientras le prenden fuego.
Nadie se encadenó, como asegura la denuncia que nos están haciendo llegar. Eso no es cierto. Habrá que preguntar a los cuatro o cinco agentes de la Guardia Civil (que llegaron más de una hora después, sobre las 23:30) a quién tuvieron que desencadenar y con qué cizallas. Lo único que se hizo es que unx de lxs compañerxs metió un candado-pitón en el agujero que atraviesa el pilón (que es por donde meten la soga que ata al toro), con la idea de inutilizar el ‘artefacto’.
Al parecer, estos agentes de la Guardia Civil vinieron del puesto de Vinarós, a gran distancia de Olocau, como prueba lo que tardaron en llegar (y eso que, según su propias palabras, hicieron el viaje “quemando los coches”), lo que constituye un notable despropósito y una presunta ilegalidad, pues se supone que debe haber presencia de agentes de la autoridad mientras se perpetra semejante canallada legal contra un animal, aunque solo sea para vigilar que las vidas humanas no corran peligro (que es lo único que cuenta para mucha gente).
Allí estuvimos todo ese tiempo, soportando los escupitajos y la violencia verbal y física de muchos vecinos que ahora, como suele ser habitual, van de víctimas, acusándonos de insultarlos. Nuestra acción fue del todo pacífica (y hay imágenes que lo atestiguan), mientras que, por ejemplo, el cámara y la reportera de La Sexta tuvieron que salir corriendo de allí a los pocos minutos a consecuencia de las amenazas que vertieron sobre ellxs, algo de lo cual podrían dar testimonio.
![pro torture people watch as protestor detained](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/congregado-recorrido-protestar-ruth-todelano_ediima20140916_0438_13.jpg?w=474&h=506)
También tenemos constancia de que estuvieron a punto de sacar al toro del camión con nosotrxs concentradxs en el pilón. De hecho, llegaron a bajar del vehículo el cajón en el que lo llevaban. Finalmente, alguien ajeno al pueblo puso algo de cordura, advirtiéndoles de que eso podría ser considerado como un intento de homicidio, y en el último momento desistieron de hacerlo.
Esos pocos agentes de la Guardia Civil nos identificaron con el objeto de denunciarnos, como así ha sido. Aguantamos donde el pilón hasta las 00:00 horas, momento en el que expiraba la autorización para torturar al animal, así como el seguro de responsabilidad civil que están obligados a contratar para sus oscuros menesteres. La Guardia Civil nos invitaba a irnos de allí y, cuando tuvimos la seguridad de que esa noche ya no podrían torturar a nadie en ese lugar, lo hicimos de forma pacífica y voluntaria (por su número, los agentes allí presentes no podrían habernos obligado a marchar, ni tampoco habernos sacado a la fuerza).
La salida del pueblo fue dantesca. La ira de los lugareños fue en aumento desde que se dieron cuenta de que no podrían llevar a cabo su siniestro propósito, de manera que, con la endeble protección de esos cuatro o cinco guardias civiles, acabamos por tener que salir corriendo de allí. Yo mismo tuve que montar a lxs cuatro compañerxs de mi coche con el vehículo en marcha porque la gente del pueblo había empezado a cortar la carretera de salida. Hubo en ese momento agresiones que están denunciadas con parte de lesiones (la mía entre ellas), vehículos de compañerxs apedreados, con lunas rotas y desperfectos varios.
Este es el país en el que vivimos, donde se protege e incluso subvenciona la tortura de un ser vivo inocente, mientras se trata de “ejemplarizar” con sanciones astronómicas a quien lucha y se opone a estas canalladas. A veces tengo la sensación de que el mundo ha perdido el norte, creo que hay gente que no sabe el significado de la palabra “ejemplo”. Pero nosotrxs no pretendemos ser ejemplo de nada, simplemente estuvimos donde sentíamos que teníamos que estar.
![these guys think they're heroes](http://web.archive.org./web/20170312053041im_/https://thefreeonline.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/obj2923097_1-644x362.jpg?w=474&h=266)
Por cierto, el alcalde de Olocau viene a decir, leídas sus últimas declaraciones, que fuimos unxs cobardes buscadores de protagonismo, al llevar a cabo nuestra acción en un pueblo de 110 habitantes en vez de hacerlo en cualquier otro más grande. Lo que seguramente este tipo no podrá entender nunca es que para nosotrxs una vida es una vida, ya sea en Olocau o en el centro de Madrid.
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
This is TORTURE!!! … and it should stop. There’s no place in this world for this barbarity!! Time to stop ….
“84% of young Spaniards aged 16 to 24 years are ashamed of bullfighting” …. a majority is against it. Humans will be judged by the way they treat their animals!! SMH ….
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