The famous Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, northern Spain, got underway on Saturday despite protests from animal rights activists.
The bull runs are part of the nine-day San Fermín festival held in the city every year in early July.
The festival officially began at 12:00 with the traditional Chupinazo, the launch of a small rocket from the balcony of the town hall, in front of thousands of spectators.
The first of a series of bull runs will be held from Sunday.
The festival is dedicated to the city saint of Pamplona, San Fermín, and dates back to the end of the 16th century.
Although the San Fermín festival also includes numerous concerts and processions, the bull runs and bullfights are the highlight of the festivities.
Every day between July 7 and 14, hundreds of people chase six enormous bulls, some weighing more than 600 kilos, and several oxen through the town’s narrow alleys to an arena where bullfights are held in the evening.
Every year, several people are injured on the 875-meter-long course.
Animal rights activists have protested against the Running of the Bulls for years. Despite this, the festival continues to attract thousands of visitors from all over the world, mainly from Europe, Australia, Asia and the US.
