Pamplona (Spain) (AFP)
Pamplona Saturday kicked off the San Fermin, one of the biggest traditional festivals in Spain, especially known for its release of bulls.
The traditional "chupinazo", a rocket marking the beginning of the festivities, was launched from the balcony of City Hall at 12:00 local time (10:00 GMT) above the town hall square filled with revelers dressed in white and red.
The San Fermin, which ends on July 14, attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year to the capital of Navarre where the sangria flows for nine days.
The release of bulls in the streets of the old city, immortalized in 1926 by Hemingway in his novel "The sun rises too", takes place every morning at 8:00.
Runners try to get as close as possible to the herds of twelve cattle including six bulls fighting, during the course that ends in the arena of Pamplona where the bulls are put to death in the afternoon by the big names of bullfighting.
The race, or "encierro", causes several wounded each year and at least 16 riders have died there since 1910.
In addition, the authorities have for several years been emphasizing the prevention of sexual assault on the sidelines of the festivities. The San Fermin was marked in 2016 by a case of gang rape that sparked huge feminist demonstrations across the country to support the voices of women victims.
The five assailants, nicknamed the "pack" (the Manada), were sentenced on 21 June to 15 years in prison for rape.
? 2019 AFP