‘The running of the bulls’ in northern Spain’s Pamplona
Al Jazeera
At least two runners were injured during the third bull run at Pamplona’s traditional Festival of San Fermin in northern Spain.
Dressed in white clothes and red scarves as per tradition, thousands of people filled the Pamplona City Hall square to attend the “chupinazo” – the launch of a massive firecracker – marking the start of the nine-day festival on Saturday.
The run became world famous after being immortalised by American writer Ernest Hemingway in his novel The Sun Also Rises in 1926.
Pamplona is awash with red and white. The San Fermin festivities, with medieval origins from the 16th century, also includes concerts, religious processions, and lots of wine.
The climax, however, comes every day at 8am when hundreds of participants launch themselves into a dangerous race with six heavy fighting bulls, some weighing more than 600kg (1,320 pounds), through the narrow streets of the city centre.
