Daredevils run with charging bulls at Pamplona’s famous San Fermín festival

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 Ferm n 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 runners take part in each bull run which takes place over meters feet and can last two to four minutes Greater part 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 scarce death-defying seconds while egging the animal on with a rolled newspaper Thousands of spectators watched from balconies and wooden barricades along the module Millions more follow the visceral spectacle on live television The festival kicked off Sunday with the traditional chupinazo firework blast after which revelers doused one another with red or sparkling wine While gorings are not rare numerous 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 Pa s revealed that a inadequate revelers had been injured but it wasn t clear if their injuries were from gorings Unofficial records say at least people have died in the bull runs over the past century The deadliest day on record was July when four runners were killed by two bulls The last death was in 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 animal rights activists marched through Pamplona wearing horns and splotched with fake blood in protest against the San Fermin bull runs Certain held up signs saying bullfights are a sin The festival was made internationally famous by Ernest Hemingway s classic novel The Sun Also Rises about American bohemians wasting away in Europe