First horn-butting injury at bull runs in Pamplona

The Spaniard suffered a stab wound in his right armpit. He is "in a stable condition", the organizers of the controversial event announced. In addition to the 38-year-old, seven other men were taken to hospital with bruises and contusions.

Panic", as the newspaper "El Mundo" wrote, was caused by the 575 kilogram fighting bull "Caminante" (Wanderer) on the second of a total of eight bull-running days. The headstrong bull repeatedly refused to be driven into the arena with the other fighting bulls and attacked numerous runners, as could be seen in the live TV broadcast. The run therefore took about twice as long as usual at five minutes and 22 seconds.

The "Sanfermines" are dedicated to the city saint San Fermín and have been celebrated in the city of 200,000 inhabitants in the Navarra region in the first half of July since the end of the 16th century. Every day in the early morning, six fighting bulls and several tame leading oxen are chased through the narrow streets of the old town to the arena for the bullfights in the evening. The last run takes place this year - as always - on July 14.

Criticism from animal rights activists increases from year to year

It is mainly young men who take part in the tests of courage on the 825-metre course, wearing predominantly white clothing with a red scarf and red sash in keeping with tradition. A few women and older runners also take part.

Dozens of runners are injured every year. There have been 16 fatalities since 1924, the last one in 2009. Meanwhile, the "Sanfermines" are not just about bull runs and fights, but also a lot of partying with concerts, processions and other events.

This year too, animal rights groups protested against the traditional event. Despite all the criticism, the festival is attracting more and more tourists from all over the world, mainly from other parts of Spain, Europe, the USA and Australia. The US writer Ernest Hemingway, among others, wrote about Pamplona in his first major novel "Fiesta" (1926).