Dramatic images show a bull at Mexico City’s Anniversary Fair leaping the barriers towards spectators – and the moment has caused heated debate online.
On January 19, the 2025 Anniversary Fair kicked off at José Garfias ‘Hechicero’ ranch in Mexico City and the very first bullfight saw one of the animals jump the barriers.
Footage shared to Instagram by a user called @michael_film_ shows a torero named Spanish matador Borja Jiménez using a bright pink cloth – known as the capote de brega – to maneuver the bull around the ring.
The bull appears to be under the torero’s control, however, whether before or after it was taken, the bull ended up running towards the barriers surrounding the ring and leaping over.
Images from the event show the bull cascading over the red wall and flying towards the audience, sending people leaping up from their seats and some running away.
PEOPLE reports no human was injured as a result of the bull jumping the barrier.
However, the incident has sparked heated debate online.
One Instagram user said: “Why this is still allowed amazes me as it’s animal cruelty.”
“Good! Stop animal cruelty. They are fighting back!” another added.
A third commented: “Good – this so called sport needs to end.”
“Good. This isn’t a sport it’s animal cruelty,” a fourth added.
A fifth said: “Is the bull okay?”
Indeed, the discourse against bullfighting is one which has been ongoing for some time, with ‘approximately 250,000 bulls’ killed every year,’ according to Humane Society International.
It states on its website: “Every year, approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in bullfights. Bullfighting is already banned by law in many countries including Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Italy and the United Kingdom.
“Although legal in Spain, some Spanish cities, such as Calonge, Tossa de Mar, Vilamacolum and La Vajol, have outlawed the practice of bullfighting. There are only a few countries throughout the world where this practice still takes place (Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador).”
In Mexico, PETA says the states of Quintana Roo, Sonora, Guerrero and Coahuila have banned bullfighting, with Mexico City having banned it ‘indefinitely’ in 2022.
In bullfighting, the bull is reported as typically being stabbed to death with a sword by the matador or sometimes it’s allowed to be released if it performs well.
It’s not clear what happened to this bull after the fight.
