Naked ambition at bull festival (From Haringey Independent)

Naked ambition at bull festival

5:19pm Thursday 23rd June 2005 in News By Shyamtara Ni Fhoghlu

Never mind going to Pamplona to see the Running of the Bulls, why not go to watch the Running of the Nudes instead?

Crouch End animal rights activist Deborah Espect is on her way to the Spanish city next month to protest minus her clothes against its biggest tourist attraction.

Every year thousands of people converge on Pamplona for the week-long Running of the Bulls festival, which begins each morning with five bulls running through the city streets to the bull ring, where they are killed in the afternoon.

The protest Ms Espect is taking part in is simple she and others will walk, chanting, through the streets, naked except for a protest banner and a red scarf (although some people do cheat by wearing white underwear).

The Running of the Nudes is organised by campaign group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which hopes to eventually replace the bull run with a naked run.

"The point is to replace the bulls with the people, to have a healthy and more human alternative. It seems like a really positive thing to do," said Ms Espect.

This will be the first time she has taken part, and the prospect of baring all is a little daunting.

"I'm quite involved in animal rights and I do a lot of demonstrations, but it is a bit scary," she said.

When PETA held the protest last year on the eve of the festival many tourists were amazed, and some of them actually joined in. While it was taking place Ms Espect was working in the PETA office and saw the photos and video footage. "I remember seeing pictures of naked people looking very happy, holding signs it looked really amazing," she said.

This reaction was in stark contrast to her feelings about the Running of the Bulls.

The bulls are urged down the streets with electric cattle prods and, according to PETA, once they reach the bull ring, many are tranquilised and can have petroleum jelly rubbed in their eyes prior to the bull fights.

The fourth Running of the Nudes takes place on July 5, and 600 people are expected to take part.