PACMA Court Victory: Toro De La Vega 2014 Was Illegal
Problems in City of Tordesillas are accumulating. They have more and more difficulties to continue celebrating the cruel Toro de la Vega event. Social rejection is widespread, and political pressure is increasing. The Castilla and León communtiy courts have now declared permission to celebrate the Toro de la Vega 2014 null and void. The Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (PACMA) accomplished a great victory against the barbarism of Tordesillas. The Court of Administrative Litigation No. 4 Valladolid has admitted the appeal filed by PACMA. The judge said that the provincial delegation should not have authorized the celebration. The reason is that in the administrative file in which they were requesting permission, no sanitary measures were included. “The City Council did not send the list of health assets that are to be used and the bullfights in which are to be used,” said the judge in sentencing. Which is “an essential aspect” he added. Besides, the judge condemns in equal parts the costs of the City of Tordesillas and Castilla-León. PACMA states that “this conviction sets an important precedent that allows us to move in order to get a permanent ban of that tournament.” Laura Duarte, spokesperson of the party, declared that “the court’s decision demonstrates that Toro de la Vega was held illegally and could set a good precedent for next year, because there could be problems to authorize the celebration of 2016.” Furthermore, on its website, PACMA maintains its position that it will “continue fighting until the total abolition of the Toro de la Vega celebration, which is contrary to the higher ethical values that calls for the Spanish society.” PACMA recently submitted two briefs to the Ministry of Interior. The first complaint that the organization of Toro de la Vega threatened the safety of the animal defenders that were present. Aware that they were within the course that the bull was going to follow, the organizers allowed the tournament to begin. The other brief refers to the violation of the right to information of the media, that participants in the tournament were preventing journalists from doing their job, and that they were being attacked. The Ministry of Interior is currently considering both briefs.