Barcelona to stage final bullfight

Top matadors will perform in Barcelona's Monumental arena for the last time yesterday before a ban against the centuries-old blood sport comes into effect in Spain's northeastern Catalonia region.
A relief to animal rights activists, the ban on bullfighting in Catalonia from 2012 is a bitter blow to bullfighting enthusiasts.
Catalan regional members of parliament voted July 2010 to ban bullfighting from January 1, 2012 after animal rights groups managed to garner 180,000 signatures for a petition demanding the debate.
But fans of the bullfight have not given up hope: They hope to find 500,000 backers to present their own petition to the national parliament and classify the combat as a cultural asset.