Police arrest 11 for sexual assault at Pamplona bull run

SPANISH police arrested 11 people on suspicion of sexual assault at Pamplona’s bull run this year, authorities said, following efforts to crack down on aggression towards women at the famous San Fermin festival.

Pamplona authorities said 14 complaints of sexual assault or molestation had been received during the nine-day celebration, which in recent years has become almost as notorious for lewd behaviour, groping and even rape as for its graphic gorings.

Police are also investigating the sale of badges bearing sexually aggressive slogans, more than 200 of which were seized. A street vendor has been arrested and could be charged with a hate crime once police finish their investigation, El Diario Norte reported.

The slogans included derogatory commands such as “go and bring me beer, you are getting ugly again”, as well as more predatory messages.

A case of alleged gang rape at last year’s event goes to trial this autumn, and authorities have mounted a campaign, “Pamplona Free of Sexual Aggressions”, to clean up the festival.