Muro planning the reactivation of bullfighting

Muro.—Muro town hall, which owns ‘La Monumental’ bullring, is to put the management of the arena out to tender.

A financial feasibility study undertaken by the town hall is currently open to public consultation. This will form the basis of the bidding process and states that the concession will be for the staging of bullfights as well as for other activities. There would need to be “special emphasis” on the bullfight for the Sant Joan Fiestas in June. There hasn’t been a bullfight in Muro since 2017.

Some years ago, Muro was declared a bullfighting municipality at a time when other town halls were issuing declarations opposed to bullfighting. Muro was one of only five municipalities with a bullring.

Strong criticism

The announcement that Muro town hall has drawn strong criticism from the Switzerland-based Franz Weber Foundation.

Established in 1975 by Swiss environmentalist and animal rights activist Franz Weber, the foundation has issued a statement saying that Muro’s decision is “a great setback” and is in response to a “meagre lobby in the Balearics”. The return of bullfighting is due solely to the interests of the town hall administration and is “not a demand by citizens”.

The foundation recently urged Inca town hall to acquire the Inca bullring and convert it into a library and a place for various cultural activities. It is now calling on opposition parties in Muro to mobilise, show their rejection and prevent municipal funds from financing something with “disastrous public support” (in that there is so little support).

Miquel Àngel Tortell of the opposition Més party accepts that the bullring complies with the regulations and that holding bullfights is legal, but stresses that they cannot be subsidised with public money. He feels that town hall investment in the bullring has been focused on being able to hold bullfights.