Animal rights activists, their bodies covered in blood, take part in a protest ahead of the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, on Saturday, July 5, 2025. The activist dressed as the Virgin Mary holds a placard reading ''Bullfighting is a sin''. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Revelers run with bulls from Fuente Ymbro ranch during the first day of the running of the bulls at the San FermÃn fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Revelers run with bulls from Fuente Ymbro ranch during the first day of the running of the bulls at the San FermÃn fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Revelers run with bulls from Fuente Ymbro ranch during the first day of the running of the bulls at the San FermÃn fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Revelers run with bulls from Fuente Ymbro ranch during the first day of the running of the bulls at the San FermÃn fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Attendees wait on their balconies as rain begins to fall during the first day of the running of the bulls, at the San FermÃn fiestas in Pamplona, Spain, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Animal rights activists, their bodies covered in blood, take part in a protest ahead of the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, on Saturday, July 5, 2025. The activist dressed as the Virgin Mary holds a placard reading ''Bullfighting is a sin''. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
PAMPLONA, Spain (AP) — Thousands of daredevils ran, skidded and tumbled out of the way of a stampeding group of bulls at the opening run of the San FermÃn festival Monday.
It was the first of nine morning runs or “encierros†during the famous celebrations held in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona.
The bulls pounded along the twisting cobblestone streets after being led by six steers. Up to 4,000 runners take part in each bull run, which takes place over 846 meters (2,775 feet) and can last two to four minutes.
Most runners wear the traditional garb of white trousers and shirt with red sash and neckerchief. The expert Spanish runners try to sprint just in front of the bull's horns for a few death-defying seconds while egging the animal on with a rolled newspaper.
Thousands of spectators watched from balconies and wooden barricades along the course. Millions more follow the visceral spectacle on live television.
The festival kicked off Sunday with the after which revelers doused one another with red or sparkling wine.
While gorings are not rare, many more people are bruised and injured in falls and pileups with each other. Medics rush in to treat the injured and take the seriously hurt to a hospital.
On Monday, Spanish newspaper El PaÃs reported that a few revelers had been injured, but it wasn’t clear if their injuries were from gorings.
Unofficial records say at least 15 people have died in the bull runs over the past century. The deadliest day on record was July 13, 1980, when four runners were killed by two bulls. The last death was in 2009.
The rest of each day is for eating, drinking, dancing and cultural entertainment, including bull fights where the animals that run in the morning are slain in the bull ring by professional matadors each afternoon.
The festival isn't without its detractors. On Saturday, wearing horns and splotched with fake blood in protest against the San Fermin bull runs. Some held up signs saying “bullfights are a sin.â€
The festival was made internationally famous by Ernest Hemingway’s classic 1926 novel “The Sun Also Rises,†about American bohemians wasting away in Europe.
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Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain.
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