A Light Aircraft to Fly Over Dénia's Coast in Protest Against 'Bous a la Mar'

The Animalist Party PACMA and the international organisation PETA have announced that a light aircraft will fly over Dénia's coast this Sunday with a "strong" message against the 'bous a la mar', a festivity held in this town.

The aim of this action is to "highlight the suffering of animals used in such events, where bulls are forced to run through narrow streets until they jump or are pushed into the sea, subjected to stress, exhaustion, and risk of injury and death."

PACMA has stated in a press release that this is an "agonising practice that has cost the lives of several bulls by drowning in recent years."

In this regard, PETA's Vice President in Europe, Mimi Bekhechi, has stated that "anyone who takes pleasure in forcing bulls, who fear drowning as much as any human, into the sea is either psychotic or deeply insecure." "The 'bous a la mar' festival may be a century old, but modern men are compassionate, not cruel. It's time to evolve," she pointed out.

The message carried by the aircraft will be visible from the beach and the promenade, coinciding with the tourist influx of the first week of July and the start of this festivity as part of the Major Festivals in honour of the Santíssima Sang, which take place from 4th to 13th July.

The initiative is part of a joint "pressure campaign" by PETA and PACMA to "demand the end of this event," which, according to both organisations, "year after year generates social rejection and protests in the Alicante locality."

The entities also emphasise that "the fact that it is a tradition does not justify the suffering of any living being" and urge public institutions to stop supporting activities "where animals are used as entertainment."

For all these reasons, PETA and PACMA have insisted that "these actions do not seek to confront the public, but to promote ethical reflection."