Three men have died in the span of just 24 hours from injuries they sustained while taking part in bull-running festivals in eastern Spain.
Per BBC News, Valencia's bull-running festivals, known as bous al carrer, entail participants running in front of at least one fighting bull while they charge through towns.
They form part of a long-standing tradition in this region of the Mediterranean country, with many towns holding events of this nature every year.
The three men who succumbed to their injuries had all been very seriously wounded during events in the last few weeks.
One of the deadly incidents, which occurred in Picassent, saw a 56-year-old man who was standing behind a block in the middle of street get thrown in the air by a bull, after which he suffered substantial injuries to his brain. He passed away on Tuesday in hospital in Valencia - just over a week after the ordeal.
A 50-year-old man also died in hospital due to injuries to his lung when it was pierced by a bull in Meliana, north of Valencia.
A 64-year-old French visitor passed away on Monday from injuries he sustained in Pedreguer.
Addressing the incident, the mayor of Meliana emphasized that the bull was just an animal and that tragedies of this nature were at the peril of those participating or nearby.
Credit: Iñigo Alzugaray / Alamy
Fatal incidents have become an increasing consequence of bull-running events in the last few years.
This year, at Spain's most well-known festival, the San Fermin running of the bulls in Pamplona, 35 injuries were reported. It was the first time in three years that it had been held, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Naturally, animal rights groups in the country have campaigned against such festivals, with Spain's party for the animals (Pacma) calling for their abolition, and taking to task the organizers of the three Valencia festivals for putting the lives of residents in danger as well as inflicting harm on the creatures involved.
Those in favor of the festivals argue that the bous al carrer season supports Valencia's economy. Per BBC News, data from 2019 found that it allowed for the opening of over 3,000 jobs and brought in $300 million, with nearly 10,000 events a year.
