Four bull runners were injured in this morning's 'encierro' (bull run), the fifth of this year's nine-day San Fermín festival in Pamplona.

With rather fewer runners than normal, one 31 year old local man from Cildoz was impaled in the right buttock after being caught by a bull on the Mercaderes stretch and was taken to the Virgen del Camino Hospital, where his condition is described as grave, and where he will undergo surgery.

A 43 year old man from Guadalajara (identified as Pascual Medina) suffered nasal injuries when he was knocked to the floor on the approach to the Telefónica building, but was not seriously hurt.

A 19 year old local youth (whose initials are IRA) has been taken to Navarra Hospital with a dislocated right shoulder while a 23 year old man from Lumbier was taken to the same hospital with minor back injuries.  

'Chupinazo' kicks off San Fermin festival
By: thinkSPAIN
Friday, July 6, 2007

This year's San Fermin festival got underway at 12pm today with the launch of the traditional 'chupinazo' in Pamplona's Town Hall Square (main photo). The rocket was set off by the mayoress of Pamplona, Yolanda Barcina, who, in the official programme, invites "people from all over the world to share with the people of Pamplona more than 200 hours of festival, happiness and hope."

The highly controversial event, that includes the cruel and dangerous daily bull-run through the narrow streets of the town centre, sparked a naked protest by members of the PETA animal welfare organisation (second photo) last night, and has attracted more than 400 journalists from all over the world, some from as far away as Japan, Chile or Paraguay.

To ensure the safety of massive influx of tourists the annual event attracts, a total of 1,400 National Police and Guardia Civil officers, as well as 360 Regional Police and 400 Local Police officers will be on duty throughout the nine day festival.

With a total budget of around five million euros, a total of 418 different events (46 a day on average) have been planned, including 164 concerts, 169 childrens' activities, and 41 shows.