PAMPLONA, Spain — The San Fermín Festival, home to the world-famous Running of the Bulls, opened today with a shocking display of anti-Israel hostility, as a giant banner reading “Destroy Israel” was unfurled during the official noon opening ceremony.

The banner was only one part of a broader anti-Israel demonstration that dominated the opening celebrations. Balconies throughout Pamplona’s historic center were draped with messages including “Stop the genocide,” “No place for genocide,” and “Zionists are not welcome,” while Palestinian flags and anti-Israel slogans were prominently displayed.

For many Jews and supporters of Israel, the scenes were deeply disturbing.

Spain is the country that, during the Spanish Inquisition, forced Jews to convert, expelled them from their homeland, or killed them. Critics say that seeing one of Spain’s most celebrated public festivals transformed into a stage for hostility toward the Jewish state is a painful reminder that history can repeat itself.

The incident comes as relations between Spain and Israel have fallen to historic lows.

Since the October 7 Hamas massacre and the ensuing war in Gaza, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has emerged as one of Israel’s most outspoken critics in Europe. Spain recognized a Palestinian state in 2024, withdrew its ambassador from Israel, and has urged the European Union to reconsider its Association Agreement with Israel. Sánchez has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide, declaring before Parliament, “We do not trade with a genocidal state,” and has also called on international sporting bodies to suspend Israel from competition.

Israel has strongly condemned Spain’s rhetoric. Former Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described Sánchez and his governing coalition as “a disgrace to Spain,” accusing them of advancing an antisemitic and anti-Israel agenda.

The irony was difficult to ignore.

Every year, the San Fermín Festival celebrates the Running of the Bulls, where terrified bulls are chased through Pamplona’s streets before ultimately being killed in the bullring. Between 50 and 100 participants are typically injured during the annual festival, while animal rights organizations have long condemned the event as institutionalized animal cruelty.

What should have been a celebration of Spanish culture instead became an international platform for anti-Israel messaging.

For many, the images from Pamplona represented more than political protest—they reflected a disturbing climate in which hostility toward the world’s only Jewish state has become normalized in one of Europe’s most iconic public celebrations.

From the Spanish Inquisition to today’s calls to “Destroy Israel,” critics argue that Spain risks returning to one of the darkest chapters of its history.