Six activists from the Equanimal association managed to jump into Las Ventas bullring last Sunday evening as part of a campaign for the abolition of the cruel blood sport.

Although anti-bullfighting demonstrations are common outside bullrings, this is the first time protesters have ever managed to reach the killing arena itself.

All six protesters, who were carrying placards with slogans in both English and Spanish, were intercepted by members of the matador's entouraged before being arrested.

They have since been charged with disturbing the peace and civil disobedience.

A spokesman for Equanimal insisted that the detainees had staged "a non-violent protest" in order to reopen the debate about the abolition of bullfighting in particular, and animal rights in general.