Virginia Ruiz, 38, attended the Corrida de toros (English
term-Bullfighting) on the 13th August 2015 on a day that had free
admission. Malagueta’s bullring in Malaga, Spain, has a seating plan for 9000
people. Yet, despite it being a free admission day, only 1500 people attended.
Virginia Ruiz was one of them, but she wasn't as passionate as those in the crowd.
Virginia Ruiz has been involved in anti-bullfighting activities
since 2008. Her intention for being there was to film the “cruelty in the ring.”
Soon as she heard the bull cry out in pain she jumped down and walked towards
him. “Because I was walking, not running, they (the crowd) didn't yet realise I
am an activist until I got very close to the bull. He was still alive before
they could do the final stabbing with the small knife in the back of the neck.
He was crying, he tried looking at people,” she said.
In a desperate bid to eliminate the bull from any more pain
she jumped into the bullfighting ring in order to comfort the now dying
bull. She spread her body over the bull,
shielding him. “I could hear him crying in pain and I jumped down, walked
across the ring to where he lay dying,” Virginia Ruiz explained. “He looked at
me and I believe he felt my energy. I wanted to give him love before he left
this earth.” Arena officials by this time had also entered the ring where they
violently hauled her away. The majority of the 1500 fans were hauling abusive
comments towards her, shouting “Fuera!” (-get out!) According to Ms Ruiz, “…they
called me names. They kicked me, spat on me and called me a whore.”
The bull was stabbed to death.
In a bid to remove the dark tradition that is linked to
Spain Ms Ruiz wanted to tell the world: “(Bullfighting) doesn't represent us.
There is more to Spain than bullfighting.”
Ms Ruiz had, illegally, entered the ring. For this reason
she could be fined up to 6000 Euros for trespassing.
I have, in the past, written about Spanish Bullfighting-which you can find on this blog.
I kept my opinion to myself.
