Toro de Jubilo, the Fire Bull Festival

Alan Taylor
November 17, 2014
22 Photos
In Focus

The Toro de Jubilo is an ancient tradition held annually at midnight in the Spanish town of Medinaceli. The event starts when a bull is tied to a post and flammable balls of tar are attached to its horns. Mud is caked on its face and back to protect it from the flames. The tar balls are then set alight, the bull released, and revelers dodge the animal until the flammable material burns out and fireworks are set off. This year's event was delayed when animal rights activists occupied the bullring in Medinaceli. The protesters were removed by police officers, and the Toro de Jubilo proceeded as planned. Gathered here are scenes from this year's event, with a few photos from last year as well.

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A bull with flammable balls of tar attached to its horns during the "Toro de Jubilo" fire bull festival on November 16, 2014 in Medinaceli, Spain. Toro de Jubilo, a Fire Bull festival, is an ancient tradition held annually at midnight in the Spanish town of Medinaceli. The event starts when flammable balls attached to a bull's horns are set alight. The animal is then untied and revelers dodge it until the flammable material is consumed. The bull is covered with a thick layer of mud on the back and face to protect it from burns. #

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Police officers move to take away animal rights activists who tied themselves with a chain in middle of the bull ring, to protest the Toro de Jubilo, or Fire Bull Festival, in Medinaceli, Spain, on November 15, 2014. #

AP Photo/Andres Kudacki

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A Toro de Jubilo supporter (right) bites an animal rights activist as he and others block the bullring to boycott the fire bull festival on November 15, 2014 in Medinaceli. #

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Police officers remove animal rights activists as they block the bullring to protest Toro de Jubilo in Medinaceli on November 15, 2014. Police arrested some of the activists when they took them out of the bullring. #

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Police officers remove animal rights activists from the bullring in the early hours of November 16, 2014 in Medinaceli, Spain. #

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A bull resists as is it tied to a post in order to attach flammable balls of tar to its horns in Medinaceli on November 16, 2014. #

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People prepare to set fire to balls of tar attached to a bull's horns during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014. #

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A torch is brought to the bull during the Toro de Jubilo Fire Bull Festival on November 16, 2014. #

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Revelers set a bull's horns on fire during the 2013 Toro de Jubilo in Medinaceli, Spain. #

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A bull tries to escape as people set fire to balls of tar on its horns in Medinaceli on November 16, 2014. #

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Revelers set fire to balls of tar on bull's horns during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014. #

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A Fire Bull shakes its head during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014. #

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A reveler uses a piece of cloth as a cape in front of a bull during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014 in Medinaceli, Spain. #

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A Fire Bull stands in front of one of five bonfires set nearby during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014. #

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A Fire Bull chases a reveler during the Fire Bull Festival in Medinaceli, Spain, on November 10, 2013. #

AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File

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Revelers watch as a Fire Bull crashes one of the bonfires set around the area during the Toro de Jubilo on November 9, 2013. #

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A fire bull pauses with its tongue out during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014. #

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A Fire Bull runs after revelers during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014. #

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A Fire Bull walks in the arena during the 2014 Toro de Jubilo in Medinaceli. #

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A reveler uses a jersey as a cape ahead of a bull during the Toro de Jubilo on November 16, 2014. #

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Fireworks explode around a bull after the tar balls attached to its horns are consumed during the Toro de Jubilo festival on November 16, 2014. #

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Fireworks explode around a bull after its horns of fire have gone out on in Medinaceli on November 16, 2014. The sign spells out "Jubilo 14" (viewed from the other side). #

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