Nude runners highlight plight of Pamplona bulls
Naked animal rights campaigners have been running through the streets of Pamplona to raise awareness about the annual running of the bulls.
Members of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have written to the mayor of Pamplona and the House of Mercy, which organises the bull run, asking them to replace it with a human race.
Londoner Umberto Pena joined 30 other Peta activists from around the world as they ran through the streets the day before the running of the bulls.
They followed the same course as the bulls take during the nine-day San Fermin festival.
Peta say the event is tourist-driven but most visitors don't know about the cruelty inflicted on the bulls.
They say the animals are frightened by the stampede and are then used in bullfights where their eyes are smeared with petroleum jelly and their bodies are weakened by laxatives.
They claim before the bulls are released onto the street, electric prods and sharp sticks are used to irritate and frighten them into a stampede. As they try to escape, they sustain bruises, cuts, and broken bones.
Umberto said: "We've started a human race that allows everyone to participate and can spell the end of the cruel bull run. If tourists saw how much these animals suffer, they'd pack their bags and leave."
The running of the bulls tradition dates back to 1591 when the purpose was to move the bulls into the arena. In the 17th century, a few spectators jumped in front of the bulls and ran for the first time.
