Far from being the reflection of a fair fight between man and animal, bullfighting is a fake combat where man is allowed every type of underhand tactic. In this presentation of death, One Voice denounces the apology of violence and the law of the strongest over the weakest, which is even more shocking as it is open to the youngest members of society, with no age limit.
Bullfighting’s “pitch” is known in advance and is always the same: to kill the bull.
The spectacle may well highlight costumes with flamboyant colours, the source of inspiration for the greatest dress-makers, have a musical accompaniment from brass bands and echo to the sound of "bravos" and applause from the audience – it is no less a spectacle of death. An agonising death caused by torture by men playing with the life of an animal who has no chance of escape. Because there is no way this is a fight: it is the animal’s death which is presented.
A fake game
The bull’s agony begins long before it enters the arena. The most fatal is the “afeitado” or the amputation of part of its horns which changes once and for all its spatial awareness. For this brutal operation, the bull is shut in a tight box where only its horns poke out. Several centimetres are then sawn off its horns to give those involved in its slaughter an extra chance not to be injured. Even if aficionados do not approve of this, it is still a common practice. And it is not the only one, as we were able to see during our hidden camera investigations. There is a wide range of tortures to weaken the bull before it comes on stage: use of tranquilisers, hypnotics and even paralysing sprays, cotton pushed into the animal’s nostrils down his throat to make breathing difficult, 100 kg sacks launched against its kidneys up to 100 times…
All of this comes after the animal has had to endure unacceptable transport conditions during which the animal can neither eat nor drink (an animal can lose up to 30 kg during a journey). Once in the arena the barbarism commences, with pikes, banderillas and other swords (see box), acclaimed by an audience that includes every fewer aficionados and more and more voyeurs, come for the unhealthy pleasure of seeing suffering and death.
Undeniable suffering
Even though it is a force of nature (around 600 kg of muscle mass), an animal suffers no less. Vets are unanimous on this point: the injuries are such that the animal’s suffering cannot be denied. We need only remember that the bull is a mammal with a nervous system similar to a human’s.
An end to bullfighting
When we look closely we can see that bullfighting is far from the spectacle that the aficionados would have us believe. Neither the music, nor the purple and gold costumes, nor the suspense-free direction are enough to disguise as entertainment what is an apology for cruelty and violence. This is even more shocking when this spectacle is accessible to children, as is the case in France. What’s more, it is hard to accept that bull breeders can benefit from European grants, making all European citizens unknowing “accomplices” in these barbaric spectacles. For all of these reasons, One Voice is acting to see an end to bullfighting.
“… I hear them laugh as I moan, I see them dance as I give in, I didn’t think it was possible, To have fun around a tomb, Is this world serious?…”
Extract from the song by Francis Cabrel “La Corrida” (On the album Samedi soir sur la Terre)
A PRESENTATION OF DEATH
While bullfighting is a show, there is no doubt that death will occur. The scenes played in three acts by the toreros, picadors or other matadors are only intended to see the animal suffer and die in a 20 minute play. Demonstration :
Prelude
Once the bull leaves the bullpen, the péones make him run to make him short of breath, disorient him and tire him out.
Act 1 – The tercio de pique or punishment
The picadors arrive on stage. Their role is to stick him with puyas (long pike) between the 4th and 7th dorsal vertebrae cutting the muscles lift and extend the neck and between the 4th and 6th cervical vertebrae to cut the ligaments in the back of the neck. The bull can no longer lift his neck and this takes away almost all danger for the matador.
Act 2 – The tercio de banderilles
The banderillas replace the puyas. The torero uses these long pikes that end in a 5 cm long harpoon to ensure the blood flows outwards and avoid internal bleeding, keeping the bull upright. He will stick 3 pairs into the bull.
Act 3 – The tercio of death
The matador brings death at the end of his sword, that he thrusts into the bull’s neck that has already been tortured by pikes and banderillas. In the death-blows, a poor matador can puncture a lung or push the sword through the animal’s flank. Sometimes he has to repeat the act several times: he then takes the sword out and thrusts it in again, 3, 4, 5 or even 6 times in a row. If the bull resists, the matador carries out the “descabello”, where he thrusts the sword between the two horns to slice the brain. The coup de grace is then given by a péone with a dagger into the back of the neck to sever the spine. The ears and tail taken from the still live animal are then given to the torero.
