The southern Spanish city of Cordoba might be best known for its imposing mosque that dates back to the 8th century but it's also one of the epicenters of the cruel sport of bullfighting. So important is the sport to the region that it's where many parents send their children to learn the sport.
These young matadors come here to practice and train in the hopes that one day they to can slay a full-sized bull. While it's no secret that this still exists. It is shocking to know that young children are learning this antiquated sport.
That's why, when
photos of a recent bullfighting training session made its way to the internet, people around the world expressed their disgust.
In the photos, young children practice skewering live bulls, and, if they perform well are given the animals recently hacked off ears and tail as a show of a "job well done." The whole scene is disturbing. More so when you consider that
the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) has come out against allowing children, under the age of 18, from attending bullfighting events or attending bullfighting schools.
Currently, children as young as 14, can legally attend one of Spain's 55 bullfighting academies. But the UNCRC says the level of violence is too high and that children should be protected from their "harmful effects." As the organization's name suggests, they believe that
children have the right not to be subjected to such grotesque violence.While this ugly sport continues to be legal in Spain, the country has said that they will consider the UNCRC's recommendation and this could be o
ne step towards ending the sport entirely as less young people will grow up desensitized to this barbaric practice. Please add your name to the petition and ask Spain to protect its children from the unnecessary violence of bullfighting.
Ask Spain and it's autonomous regions to ban children from participating in bullfights in any way, shape or form.