{UAH} Spain's running of the bulls festival overshadowed by sexual assault claims

Spain's running of the bulls festival overshadowed by sexual assault claims

Gender equality group Amedna said the festival encouraged "jungle behaviour" and put women's' safety at risk

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Demonstrators show posters reading "Enough!" as they gather in front of Pamplona town hall Photo: Miguel Riopa/AFP

 

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By Guy Hedgecoe, Madrid

7:14PM BST 14 Jul 2015

A British woman is reported to have been sexually assaulted by a gang of "laughing" men in a bar toilet during the Pamplona bull festival in Spain.

Hundreds took to the streets to protest after the attack during the San Fermin festival, which culminates in the world-famous Running of the Bulls.

According to news website eldiario.es, friends of the 19-year-old woman came to her aid after they heard her shouting for help. Police say they are investigating the incident, which took place on Friday night.

The following Monday hundreds of locals, many dressed in the festival's traditional white clothes and red scarves, demonstrated outside Pamplona's City Hall against the attacks, which many claim have become a common feature of the Sanfermines festival.

On Monday night, hundreds of locals, many dressed in the festival's traditional white clothes and red scarves, demonstrated outside Pamplona's City Hall against the attacks, which many claim have become a common feature of the Sanfermines festival.

_{The town is famous for the festival, where bulls run through the streets before entering the bullfighting ring (Reuters)}

The slogan of the Monday demonstration was "No to sexual assault" and representatives of several political parties were present.

The issue came to public attention in 2013, when TV cameras showed images of men fondling women's breasts during the chupinazo, or opening ceremony of the festival, where thousands of people are crowded into the streets of central Pamplona.

Vanesa Eguiluz, the head of gender equality group Amedna, said the festival's large crowds and alcohol-fuelled atmosphere encourage "predatory, jungle behaviour".

A statement issued by the two women's groups that organised Monday's demonstration said: "For many years we've had to put up with the fact that this festival has been sold to people with the idea that 'in Sanfermines anything goes'.

"Let's be clear: in Sanfermines, like at any festival, anything doesn't go. When a woman say 'no', it means 'no', it doesn't matter what condition she is in or what the situation is."

Each morning during Sanfermines, bulls run through the streets to the bullring at the other side of the city, while hundreds of locals and tourists try to avoid being gored or trampled on. The festival ended on Tuesday.

Joseba Asiron, the city's Basque nationalist mayor, has in the past mooted the possibility of staging a vote on whether to continue with the bullfights that are held every evening during the event.

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