Reports surface of new promotions for minors attending a bullfight in Inca

PalmThe Franz Weber Foundation on Monday called for reflection on the permissiveness of allowing minors access to bullfighting events, such as the bullfight scheduled for March 29 in Inca, following a new warning issued a month ago by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. In its latest concluding observations on Spain, this UN body included an explicit reference to bullfighting within the section on "violence against children." The committee expressed its concern that children witness "the violence and death of participants during popular bullfighting events held throughout the country."

For this reason, the international organization reiterates the recommendations already made in 2018 and urges the State—at both the national and regional levels—to establish a minimum age of 18 for participation in bullfighting events, festivals, and schools, without exceptions. Furthermore, it calls for awareness-raising activities aimed at public officials, the media, and the general public regarding the negative effects that the violence associated with bullfighting can have on children, including spectators. According to the Franz Weber Foundation, this new warning also highlights the shared responsibility of the autonomous communities in this matter. The organization points out that allowing children and adolescents access to these types of events could violate their fundamental rights and, therefore, appeals to the Catalan Government to refrain from promoting or sponsoring activities that could negatively affect the development of minors. In the case of the bullfight planned in Inca, the organization notes that discounts are being offered for young people without specifying their age. Furthermore, it warns that the cultural voucher—which is also accessible to minors—could be used to purchase season tickets or individual tickets for this event. It's worth recalling that the Balearic Islands Parliament approved a regulatory amendment in 2024 allowing minors to attend bullfights, almost three decades after a partial ban. According to the organization, this decision was criticized by experts and specialists in child protection. The UN committee's warnings are framed within the context of the potential non-compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Spain in the 1990s, which both the Constitution and other organic laws stipulate must be incorporated into national legislation.