The Running of the Bulls: Spain's controversial summer tradition

Every year, the so-called Running of the Bulls take place across Spain. The most famous, no doubt, is in the small city of Pamplona, in northern Spain, that take place every July 7 to celebrate San Fermín.

US writer Ernest Hemingway, seen here with bullfighter Dominguin, was fascinated with Spanish bull culture and reflected it in works such as 'Death in the Afternoon'.

Dozens (and even hundreds) of runners experience moments of danger that are immortalized in images as they run away from the bulls in the streets of Pamplona.

Image: Sanfermin / Unsplash

Legend has it that people in Pamplona have participated in the Running of the Bulls since the Middle Ages in honor of San Fermín. However, you might wonder how many people have died during the Running of the Bulls.

Image: Sanfermin / Unsplash

Official sources claim that, since the 1900, 16 people have perished, either impaled by a bull or crushed under the hooves.

Being part of the Running of the Bulls is no joke. The local police tend to remove those too drunk to participate and, during the race, veteran runners generally push out less experienced participants.

However, in the past, there weren't as many security measures as there are today. Local police officers used to limit themselves to watch, and it was common for runners who were inexperienced or under the influence to try to take part in the race after a long night of partying.

The shadow of tragedy has always loomed over this northern Spanish celebration, where a beast weighing over half a ton rams into human beings.

There are several points on the route where there is a high risk for runners, but the alley that open into the bullring is probably the most dangerous part of the Running of the Bulls.

Quite often, a stumble by one of the runners leads to other runners falling, causing the whole race to pile up under the bulls. However, as this 1988 picture reveals, the danger doesn't end at the bullring.

The so-called "cogadas" (when the bull reaches the runner) are not always a death sentence. In most cases the damage is limited, although there are also cases of serious injuries. This runner seen here narrowly escaped with his life.

The most common type of incident during the feast in Pamplona are runners falling down along the path that goes from the release of the bulls to the bull ring.

However, not everyone joins this fiesta. There are critical voices who argue that the whole tradition, plus the bullfight that ensures with the beasts afterward, is barbaric.

The Running of the Bulls are broadcast on Spanish television with great viewership. There's a morbid curiosity of seeing someone narrowly escape getting impaled. This 2003 picture is one example.

The protagonist in this image managed to escape the bull, but, as you can see, at a hefty price!

Sometimes there are moments of real panic, with the horns of the bulls just inches away to some runners.

As one of Spain's most famous folkloric celebrations, overcrowding is a big issue. More people means more 'problema' during the Running of the Bulls.

Despite the controversies and the risk surrounding the feast of San Fermín, the city of Pamplona becomes a massive fiesta full of drink and food and bulls.

The worst case scenario, in many occasions, is being caught in a bottleneck between the beasts and other runners.

The most experienced runners practice how to position themselves when they hit the ground and learn to keep calm and stay put until the bulls pass. Getting up early can be equal to death.

Bullfighting and events like the Running of the Bulls continue to be the focus of debate and controversy in Spain, France and Latin America. Maybe it's time to put this tradition to rest and give its unwilling animal protagonist a break.