Shocking moment enraged bull smashes through security barrier, stabbing man to death and injuring three others, including a three-year-old girl, as Spanish activists demand an end to tradition

This is the terrifying moment a ferocious bull crashes through a guardrail, killing one man and seriously injuring three others, including a three-year-old girl.

The terrifying incident took place in Pantoja, Toledo, Spain, during festivities in honour of the city’s patron saint, and has led to renewed calls for a ban on bull runs.

Witnesses said the three people who were stabbed “didn’t stand a chance” as the bull ran through a closed-off corridor and smashed through a gate at the end of the corridor, despite the gate being made of iron.

Gruesome video footage shows the bull charging through the gate as onlookers let out terrifying screams.

The dead man lived in nearby Illescas and was 80 years old. The child and her grandparent are all residents of Pantoja, the mayor of the municipality said.

Spanish activists are demanding an end to the tradition and are once again warning of the dangers of involving bulls in the festivities and the risk of escapes.

Witnesses said the three people who were gored had “no chance” as the bull ran through an enclosed passageway but knocked over a gate at the end of the run, despite the gate being made of iron.

The young girl was punched in the face but is recovering in hospital. Her grandparents were also impaled but are not in danger of dying.

The grandmother had been stabbed in the thigh, but the wound was clean and therefore less serious.

The incident prompted a swift response from security forces, with local police intervening and shooting the bull to end the threat.

Personnel from the Guardia Civil, a mobile intensive care unit, a life support ambulance and the Pantoja civil protection group also attended the scene.

In addition, a team from the judicial police has taken over the investigation to gain clarity about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The bull runs were part of the programme of the festivities in honour of the patron saint of Santa Bárbara, which are celebrated in Pantoja from 20 to 28 September.

After the tragic event, the mayor of the municipality declared that the city had been “devastated” by the incident and declared official mourning.

The mayor has convened a meeting with local clubs and associations to assess whether all remaining festivities should be cancelled.

Mayor Julian Torrejón spoke to the media from the city’s bullring, where the running of the bulls was due to end on Tuesday, saying that both the girl and the grandparents were outside the route the animal would take.

“We are deeply sorry and express our deepest condolences to the family and the world of bullfighting,” he said.

It appears that, according to his testimony, the bull “charged into the bars and broke one of them,” after which the bull left the route and headed toward an adjacent vacant lot.

It appears that, according to his testimony, the bull “charged against the bars and broke one of them,” after which the bull left the route into an adjacent vacant lot.

“Everything is fine, we have our insurance and our permits from the Junta and the Provincial Council, and the government representative was there. We checked the route minutes beforehand and everything was correct,” the mayor said.

This is the third death in Toledo in just two months linked to the Running of the Bulls.

Campaigners continually warn of the dangers and the potential for escapes.

They are sending an urgent letter to the Spanish Ombudsman to investigate the injuries inflicted on this girl and the fact that minors are staying in areas where their physical integrity and their own lives are in danger.

They urge immediate measures, the first of which should be ‘a decree banning the participation and access of minors, with the ultimate aim of strictly protecting these vulnerable groups’.

PACMA has called for political responsibility following the tragedy that occurred in Pantoja. It said: ‘This unfortunate event highlights once again the risks inherent in bullfighting, which exposes both the lives of animals and people to situations of extreme danger.’

The animal rights organisation has again criticised such parties, which ‘not only cause unnecessary suffering for the animals, but also create uncertain and risky situations for those present and the general public’.

“The fact that local police have to shoot a bull shows the lack of control and the serious consequences of these festivities, which leave tragic and painful events every year,” said Javier Luna, president of the group.