WATCH: Tense moment activist storms ring during bullfight in Ondara

Activist enters the arena

The activist, identified as Dutch campaigner Peter Janssen, who is widely known online as the “Vegan Streaker”, ran into the bullring during the bullfight in an effort to draw attention to animal welfare concerns.

Video shared on social media shows spectators and others inside the arena confronting Janssen before National Police officers escorted him away. The footage appears to show him being physically restrained as he was removed from the ring. The interruption temporarily halted proceedings before the event resumed.

According to Janssen, the Ondara protest marked the 84th time he has entered a bullring as part of his campaign against bullfighting. He has staged similar protests at bullfighting events across Spain over the past decade, arguing that direct action is needed to keep the issue in the public eye.

Local campaigners voice opposition

Outside the venue, members of the local group Ondara Sense Crueltat Animal held a peaceful protest to express their opposition to bullfighting. Following the event, the organisation published a statement on social media saying it mourned the six bulls involved in the day’s bullfight.

The group argued that animal suffering should not be defended as tradition, calling instead for an end to the practice. Their demonstration formed part of a wider campaign promoting animal welfare and encouraging alternatives to bullfighting. Organisers stressed that their protest remained peaceful throughout and said they hoped to encourage discussion about the future of traditional bullfighting events.

Campaign calls for change

Janssen is a spokesperson for the International Vegan Strike Group, an organisation that has organised anti-bullfighting protests across Spain since 2013. The group says its demonstrations are intended to be peaceful and designed to raise awareness about the treatment of animals used in entertainment.

The organisation has argued that public funds should not be used to support bullfighting and has called for the practice to be abolished. Bullfighting, however, remains legal in much of Spain and continues to attract both supporters, who regard it as part of the country’s cultural heritage, and critics, who see it as animal cruelty.

The Ondara incident once again highlighted the deep divisions surrounding bullfighting, with passionate views expressed on both sides as the town’s festival continued. While protests against the practice have become increasingly visible in recent years, many towns continue to include bullfighting as a central part of their traditional fiestas, ensuring the debate remains one of Spain’s most contentious cultural issues.