Spain’s Pamplona bull-running is back after two years, but with a few injuries 

Tens of thousands of people wearing white clothes and red scarves filled the streets of Pamplona on Thursday to celebrate the first San Fermin bull-running festival in two years. 

The annual festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that ensued. 

"I've been to San Fermin many times before, but this is very different, people have missed the celebration, they are happy to be with their families, happy to be without the masks, they just wanna feel alive and enjoy the sunshine," said Michelle Rene of San Francisco.

"The energy is awesome -- this is the greatest party, the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life," said Pablo Cortes, a tourist traveling to see the event from Hawaii.

The event started on Thursday and will continue for a week. During the runs, six purpose-bread fighting bulls chase the runners through the small streets of Pamplona, which stretch out for more than half a mile.

There are eight runs in total, lasting between three to five minutes each. The runs end at the bullring, where a professional bullfighter is awaiting to kill the bull.

The first run on Thursday lasted two minutes and 35 seconds. While no one was gored, several runners fell, were stomped on, or shoved onto the cobblestone streets as the packed crowds ran away from the bulls.

The Pamplona hospital said at least six people needed treatment. A 30-year-old American broke his left arm and a 16-year-old Spanish girl lost part of a finger. The other four were Spanish men aged 19 to 45. At least two men were hit in the head by a bull’s horn.

Since the start of the bull runs in 1910, sixteen people have died, with the last death taking place in 2009. In 2019, eight people were gored by the bulls and needed medical assistance.

An American tourist from San Diego, California, said that the risk of running with the bulls was completely worth it.

“I feel like I need to cry. It’s just so many emotions built up in me, running with ‘mis amigos’ (my friends). I don’t know where they are, I lost everyone,” he said.

“It felt like two seconds, it was probably like a minute when I actually had the bulls running by me, but it felt so quick, like a blink and it was gone,” Ward continued. “It’s amazing, incredible, one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.”

With the first bull run finished, those attending the San Fermin festival will continue the day by drinking, eating, and going to cultural events.