Bullfighting: The Unnoticed Suffering

In Portugal, fights that were fatal for bulls had been banned since 1928. In August 2002, the ban was lifted for Barrancos, a town on the Spanish border.

With the course “Building community as a Key to Peacework”, which took place in Tamera from August 5 to September 1, we joined the protest against the reintroduced bullfights in Vila Nova de Milfontes.

The protest took place parallel to the second bullfighting event — after 9 years without these horrific events — in the seaside tourist resort. What was special about the event was another added distortion of values:

Six weeks earlier there had been an explosion in an apartment near Milfontes, killing a mother, father and daughter of a family. A 13 year-old boy survived. He loves animals. He now lives with his aunt. The organizers said that this bullfight was a charity event, the entrance fees were offered for the boy to have a financial basis for his life.

I’m sure many people went because they were concerned about the child’s fate. The boy was invited to come as well. We heard beforehand that he didn’t like to go; he didn’t want animals to suffer pain. But then he did appear because the money was supposed to be publicly handed to his aunt and him at the event.

What must be going on in the soul of such a boy, what kind of break with the adult world must that be? (Especially after the disaster he had just experienced.)

We prepared ourselves with the question: How do we want to participate? How can we take a stand and support the initiative? What attitude can we build within ourselves so as not to promote hatred and opposition, but rather genuine compassion, even beyond the roles which we disagree with? How can we remain anchored in our love of life?

We split into two groups: one group that felt that could best help by going and being present, and another group that said Tamera to accompany the action in meditation and prayer. This combination of political action and spiritual consciousness has become for us a basis for political action in general.

It encourages us to remain with the inner awareness that we are on the side of life — and when life wins, there are no losers. A way to get out of the habit of thinking in opposition without denying your own stance.

The scene on site was glaring. The arena and cordoned off areas where, as we found out later, the bulls and horses stood. We, the demonstrators, on the left and right of the street leading to the arena. In the cars there were visitors to the bullfight; the arena had 2,500 seats.

Barbara Kovats at the demonstration against bullfighting, the police in the background. Photo: Henry Sperling

Next to the demonstrators there was a small stage on which musicians played to support the protest. There was an area directly behind the stage, illuminated with brightly flashing fairy lights, used by bumper cars, and other fair-like “amusements” next to it. Ice cream, beer, seemingly carefree strolling on a cool evening after a hot day. And next to that, animal cruelty – and a seemingly small protest.It felt  like a condensed version of today’s society and its consumer habits, on the other side of which there is misery, exploitation, and destruction. Staying with yourself in this scenario is a fine art, with so much distraction, so much light, noise — and so much inner turmoil, sadness and indignation.

Some of around 80 demonstrators in Milfontes. Photo: Henry Sperling

Don’t faint now. Now look with a compassionate heart at the faces that – like so many of us so often – react with indifference. Be aware of the situation of the horses standing on the other side of the arena, their ears closed, their eyes covered, painfully tightly bridled, often driven with sharp spurs so that they bleed – there is no other way but force for these flight-oriented creatures to enter into such a situation.Now connect internally with the nine bulls that were standing in the truck, in boxes, facing the entrance to the arena. Finding the connection to the young men who will fight the bulls on horseback, who will injure the bulls until the bull can no longer hold its head. The bull will be injured and driven out of the arena bleeding, often for days has to wait until it is loaded into a transporter again, driven to the slaughterhouse.Today is Sunday. The injured animals have probably been standing there unaccompanied since Friday evening and will most likely be driven to the slaughterhouse tomorrow. As a group, we remain in a compassionate connection.

Signs of the demonstrators at the demonstration against bullfighting in Milfontes. Photo: Henry Sperling

What happens to the animals after the event?

The bulls that are bleeding heavily have their spears cut out without anesthesia. Their wounds are often “treated” with salt and vinegar to stop the bleeding. They rarely receive medical care, except when they are intended to serve as breeding bulls. The remaining animals wait a few days to be picked up by the butcher. This procedure was described to us by a former Forcado.

Towards the end of our action, almost 11 pm, and the bullfight was probably to continue until midnight. We asked if we could sing near the bulls who were still waiting. The police said no. We decided to make our way home, slowly walking around the entire arena and singing. We sing for the bulls, for the horses, for Francisco, the boy, for everyone involved.

The song we sing is four lines from the Hawaiian forgiveness ritual Ho’oponopono, which means something like “to make something right” or “to make up for mistakes” and has a long tradition in Hawaiian culture:

I am sorry

Please forgive me

I love you

and thank you.

We slowly walk past the arena, above we see the silhouettes of people sitting in the back rows; a boy turns around and puts his index finger to his lips and says “shh!” — who knows, maybe our singing can be heard for a brief moment even in the arena.

Participating in this campaign was an experience in standing up for life — and it was an intense training in what it takes to achieve it. We were all happy not to be alone in the event, to be able to support each other and to know that there was a group at home holding space. We continue to stand up for life.

Group of participants of “Building community as a Key to Peacework” in Milfontes during the demonstration. Photo: Henry Sperling