Spanish-style bullfighting (also known as corrida de toros) is a common spectacle in Spain, southern France, Portugal and Latin America, where performers called toreros proceed to a ritualized fight against a bull resulting into the killing of the bovid.
Corridas are often spectacular because of the costumes worn by the toreros and the stunts they realize; but it is also a very cruel assassination. Toreros weaken the bulls with lances that cause 8-inch-deep injuries, and then with harpoons (banderillas) driven directly into the animal's withers. The fight often ends with the torero slicing the spine of the bull with a dagger.
Supporters of bullfighting (aficionados) often say that the corrida is a refined art and that it is part of their cultural heritage, therefore it shouldn't be changed. But can you call this an art? The bull sometimes suffers during twenty minutes and nothing is done to put an end to his agony. What's more, torturing and killing a bull for the satisfaction of the aficionados, neglecting the pain of an animal, spilling so much blood so gratuitously, can you call this a noble art? And last thing, can you seriously defend bullfighting by presenting this cruel spectacle as "an ancestral tradition" without sounding ridiculous? If we listened to this argument, we would still have gladiators.
"It is art" and "it is our heritage" are not valid justifications when it's about killing bulls so gratuitously. There is no glory, only barbarity with bad pretexts. You can play with bulls without causing any bloodshed (for example: the course landaise).
Sadly, bullfighting was recently included to the official intangible cultural heritage of France. Oh pain.
