It's a memorable moment: For the first time, a Mexican court bans a bullfight in Mexico's largest fighting arena. Animal rights activists celebrate this as a "first step of justice". Meanwhile, the operators of the arena want to take action against the verdict in order to defend the long-standing tradition.
Bullfighting in the Plaza de Toros México, the world's largest bullring, has been banned until further notice following a lawsuit by animal rights activists. Both the plaintiffs and the operators of the arena informed about the court decision on Friday, which can still be appealed. According to the ruling, the fights in the arena in Mexico City, known as "Fiesta Brava", will be suspended pending a decision on their constitutionality.
"First step of justice for the bulls!" wrote the animal welfare organization AnimaNaturalis México on Twitter. It is now a question of continuing to fight until a final ban on bullfighting is achieved. Along with other organizations, AnimaNaturalis had asked the court for a ban on the grounds that the capital's constitution stipulates that animals should be protected and treated with dignity.
The company that runs Plaza México said it would exhaust all legal remedies to defend "Mexican customs and customs." The Plaza México has more than 41,000 seats - the world-famous bullring Las Ventas in Madrid, on the other hand, only offers space for almost 24,000 spectators. Opponents of bullfighting in Mexico denounce the suffering and killing of the animals. Proponents say it's a centuries-old tradition that creates tens of thousands of jobs in Mexico.
The tradition and the Plaza de Toros face an uncertain future, and not only because of the court decision: In December, the Animal Welfare Commission of Mexico City's City Parliament introduced a law banning bullfighting in the capital. MEPs still have to vote on it. So far, only a handful of Mexico's 32 states have banned bullfighting.
