Easter bull-running ritual turns tragic as bull rams man against building in Spain

Disturbing footage has captured the terrifying moment a man was slammed against a building and crushed by a bull during a traditional Easter bull-running event in the Spanish town of Vejer de la Frontera, near Marbella.

The video, filmed by a bystander, shows the powerful bull charging into the participant, lifting him into the air and violently smashing him into a nearby house before landing on top of him.

Onlookers rushed to assist, attempting to distract the animal with red handkerchiefs until it ran off.

Emergency responders carried the seriously injured man to an ambulance before he was airlifted to a hospital in Cádiz.

Authorities have described his condition as serious but stable.

Reports indicate a second man was also seriously hurt after the same bull knocked him head-first to the ground.

The chaos unfolded just a day after another terrifying incident at the Toro del Aleluya festival in Arcos de la Frontera, where a half-tonne bull named Infinito broke through a barrier and charged into a crowd of children.

The ancient Easter tradition, which involves releasing several bulls to run through the streets, is known for its high risks.

Though it stops short of killing the animals in a ring—intended as a symbolic nod to Christ’s mercy—it has repeatedly resulted in serious injuries.

Footage from Arcos shows Infinito smashing through flimsy fencing, knocking down young spectators who had been brought close to the front by their parents. Panic erupted as more than 20 people were struck or trampled, with others crushed against barriers in the stampede to escape.

One woman, filming from a nearby balcony, was heard screaming, “The children! The children!” as the bull rampaged through the crowd.

The bull was eventually redirected back to the parade route by an amateur matador wielding a pink cape.

At least three people, including a 60-year-old woman, required medical treatment for goring and crush-related injuries.

Mayor Miguel Rodriguez defended the event’s safety measures, saying: “It’s not normal for this to happen, but in any bullring, boards can break or unforeseen events can occur.”

See a clip from the horrific scene here.