Protest with 100 gravestones at Madrid bullring
13-05-2026On Sunday, May 10, CAS International and AnimaNaturalis protested against bullfighting in the Spanish capital, Madrid. During the action, 100 people held signs shaped like gravestones bearing the names of bulls killed in Spain over the past year. The protest therefore took the form of a memorial ceremony for the bulls who had been killed.
Protest with 100 gravestones at Madrid bullring | Picture: David Canales
During the demonstration, we also drew attention to the continuing government support for the bullfighting industry. The Madrid region will allocate a total of 7.2 million euros to the sector in 2026, an increase of 59.7% compared to the previous year.
100 gravestones for killed bulls
The protest was prompted by the bullfights taking place during the San Isidro festivities. San Isidro is an annual traditional celebration in the city of Madrid. During this festival week, the people of Madrid commemorate the death of the city’s patron saint, San Isidro.
The protest took place in front of Las Ventas, Madrid’s bullring. The signs displayed the names and birth dates of bulls killed in bullfights in 2025, while other signs carried Spanish slogans such as “Bullfighting fills graveyards.” The protest criticized the policies of the autonomous region of Madrid.
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7.2 Million Euros
The Madrid region will invest a total of 7.2 million euros in the bullfighting sector in 2026. Of this amount, 3.7 million euros will go toward the renovation and modernization of Las Ventas. This forms part of a large-scale renovation plan worth more than 40 million euros, which is expected to be completed before the arena’s centenary in 2031.
In addition, the regional television channel Telemadrid received 3.1 million euros for broadcasting bullfights in 2025, an increase of 113% compared to the previous year. In recent months, the Ministry of the Environment also invested 439,522 euros in maintenance work at Las Ventas to prepare the arena for the San Isidro festivities.
Furthermore, the Fundación Toro de Lidia receives 1.7 million euros in public subsidies, while the regional television broadcaster receives approximately 100,000 euros for each event broadcast during San Isidro.
The San Isidro festivities in Madrid take place between May 7 and May 17. During this period, bullfighters will ultimately kill 180 bulls in the arena.
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Opinion of Spaniards
A study by the Fundación BBVA shows that 77% of the Spanish population considers it unacceptable that animals are used in bullfighting. This picture is confirmed by other studies. In 2024, Ipsos I&O Publiek conducted a survey commissioned by CAS International among 7,500 people about bullfighting. The results showed that the majority of people in Spain, France and Portugal oppose bullfighting because they believe the tradition causes unnecessary suffering to bulls.
Petition against EU subsidies
Did you know that your tax money is being used, through European agricultural subsidies, to breed cattle for bullfights and cruel folk festivals in Spain, France, and Portugal?
It is estimated that around €200 million per year is involved. We believe this must stop. Therefore, CAS International, with support from the animal organizations AnimaNaturalis (Spain) and ANIMAL (Portugal), has launched a petition aiming to end European agricultural subsidies for bull breeders. Sign our petition here!
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