A bullfight in southeastern Spain descended into chaos this week when a half-ton bull cleared a safety barrier and came startlingly close to spectators seated near the ring.
A Bull Breaks Loose
The incident took place during the final bullfight of Murcia’s annual fair, according to the New York Post. Spanish outlet 20minutos reported that video from the event showed the animal — a 508-kilogram (roughly 1,100-pound) bull named Malacara — charging across the arena before vaulting clean over the wooden barrier separating the bullring from an alleyway near the stands.
Spectators closest to the ring scrambled backward as the bull landed near the front-row seats. Remarkably, no one was injured. A second barrier positioned between the alleyway and the stands proved critical, preventing the animal from reaching any further into the crowd.
“It Was Extremely Lucky Nobody Was Injured”
Witness Juan Perez described the moment to The Sun, saying the entire scene unfolded within seconds.
“I saw it with my own eyes, the bull jumping over the fence into the crowd,” Perez said. “The animal was out of control. It was extremely lucky that nobody was injured.”
Malacara belonged to the Los Espartales ranch and was the sixth and final bull scheduled for the event. La Condomina, Murcia’s historic bullring — formally known as the Plaza de Toros de Murcia — later confirmed in a statement, reported by the Post, that the animal “jumped two times into the exit alleyway.”
The Fight Continued
Once order was restored, officials brought Malacara back into the ring, and the bullfight resumed. In keeping with the traditional format of the event, the bull was killed at the conclusion of the fight, according to The Sun.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when did this incident happen? The incident occurred during the final bullfight of Murcia’s annual bullfighting fair at La Condomina, the city’s historic bullring in southeastern Spain, according to reporting cited by the New York Post.
Was anyone hurt when the bull jumped the barrier? No injuries were reported. A second barrier between the alleyway and the spectator stands prevented the bull from reaching the crowd directly.
What happened to the bull after the incident? Handlers brought the bull back into the ring and the bullfight continued as scheduled. The bull was killed at the conclusion of the fight, in keeping with traditional bullfighting format.
How common are incidents like this at bullfights? While uncommon, bulls occasionally jump or crash through barriers during bullfights, and similar incidents involving bulls breaching safety barriers near spectators have occurred at events in other countries, including Mexico and Peru.
Sources: New York Post, 20minutos, and The Sun, cited above.
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