A high court in Spain has invalidated the ban on bullfighting which the regional government of Catalonia had introduced in 2010.
The Constitutional Court ruled that the “preservation of common cultural heritage” was the sole preserve of the state.
It said that Catalonia’s parliament had exceeded its authority when it banned what it called “one more expression of a cultural nature that forms part of the common cultural heritage”.
The court held that the autonomous region could adjudicate on some matters, such “regulating the development of bullfights” or drawing up regulations for “the special care and attention of fighting bulls”.
The Catalan government said it would “set to work immediately to ensure that the ruling has no practical effect,” according to its spokeswoman Neus Munté.
Catalonia’s ban followed that of the Canary Islands in 1991, making it the second region to outlaw bullfighting. Proponents of the ban claim that the constitutional court took no view on the similar ban instituted in the Canary Islands.
Staging events with bulls, such as fighting or running, is very popular in parts of Spain. Some 2,000 fights are staged every year across the country. But the country is also witnessing a diminishing of their popularity, as younger audiences fail to attend and municipal funding in some cities has been cut back.
Last month, thousands of people marched in Madrid to protest and call for an end to bullfighting. Supporters have also been able to mount demonstrations with thousands of fans.
