Sokamuturra Ez asks not to go to the test in Getxo and advocates for parties "free of animal suffering"

The neighborhood association 'Sokamuturra Ez' has concentrated this Thursday at the Old Port of Algorta (Getxo) to ask citizens not to attend this activity and instead choose "parties free of animal suffering". In his opinion, "sokamuturra is not culture but business" and "participation cannot be used as an excuse to maintain an activity based on suffering".

The mobilization seeks to go beyond rejecting this particular spectacle, and  seeks to open areflection on the possibility of building "fairer, more inclusive and more respectful" celebrations "where fun does not depend on animal suffering," said group spokeswoman Nerea Landa.

Under the slogan "Parties better without suffering", the organizers have called on all those responsible for animal welfare to join the mobilization.

Failure to attend as a public

One of the main messages of the campaign is the call not to go to the sokamutur as a spectator, and in particular it is addressed to the parents and those responsible for the children so that they do not take the children to that event.

In this regard, the association recalls that the United Nations recommends the protection of minors from violence present in bullfighting shows, and that several professionals have expressed concern about the values that these events can convey and the impact that normalizing animal suffering as entertainment can have.

Sokamuturra Ez believes that "animal violence or abuse" cannot be separated from empathy education and condemnation of other forms of violence.

Call the gangs.

The association has also addressed the gangs, urging them to take "a step of inaction" and not to participate in the sokamuturra, even though the rules of the party committee punish with zero points those who do not participate in the test.

They have also called for changes in the institutions and explained that "they have tried to talk to the party committee" and have proposed concrete alternatives to replace the sokamuturra, but these efforts have so far failed.

Scientific evidence

According to explanations from veterinarians and other experts, cowboys are transported, insulated, noisy and harassed by more than 50 squads for three hours. In addition, when trying to escape from the compound,injuries, blows to fences, fractures and even deaths can occur, "Landa said.

The association adds that the marking of skin with hot iron and rope pulling are also harmful practices, to which must be added the risks of activity to people.

The group has pointed out that the City Council believes that as long as there is participation, "it will be difficult to cancel the sokamuturra", but the association believes that this argument does not relieve the City Council of its responsibility.