The celebration of Toro de la Vega as we knew it is over. The Supreme Court has prohibited spearing the bull and killing him on the banks of the Duero, something that had been done to maintain medieval tradition. Finally, the court has not admitted the appeal presented by the Tordesillas City Council that sought to amend the sentence. Therefore, the celebration will not be celebrated again by killing the animal.
In May 2016, the Government of Castilla y León approved a decree law that prohibited the killing of fighting bulls in bullfighting shows. As stated from the Board, the celebration of the Toro de la Vega was not prohibited but the death of the animal. After that, the Tordesillas City Council responded that it would appeal the Government’s decision, claiming that it was a traditional festival celebrated for centuries.
However, the Superior Court of Justice agreed with the Government of Castile and prohibited spearing the animal until its death. Now, this decision has been ratified by the Supreme Court, so the Toro de la Vega will not be held again as it had been doing. In addition, this rule will also be applicable to other similar bullfighting festivals, if any.
This party brings together supporters and detractors every year, becoming one of the most controversial celebrations in the country. In fact, until 2016 it was common for clashes to take place between animal groups and supporters of Toro de la Vega, something that calmed down once the killing of the animal was prohibited. Following the rule of the Government of Castilla, the City Council of Tordesillas modified the celebration for a confinement in which the animal was not killed in public.
For its part, as reported by El País , the Tordesillas City Council has stated that it will seek new ways to study what it can do and that it has also requested a report from external legal services with which it intends to continue fighting.
