Last week, JBN reported on the unfurling of a huge banner reading “Destroy Israel” at the famous Running of the Bulls at the San Fermín Festival in 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,” Eitan “Eddie” Dvir, JBN’s editor-at-large, reported.

“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,” he wrote.

But Pamplona was not content to stop there. “Zionists Are Not Welcome” signs have been springing up throughout the city, on walls, balconies and doorposts.

There is no significant Jewish population in Pamplona today. While a Jewish quarter thrived in the city from the 10th to the 15th centuries, the Jews never returned to that part of the country after their expulsion from Spain in 1492. That’s why overt displays of Jew hatred go unchallenged in Pamplona: There are no Jews in the city to protest, and no one else cares.

The ceremony of the Running of the Bulls last week was marked by anti-Jewish hostility from start to finish, as detailed by the Combat Antisemitism Movement.

“The firework rocket signaling the beginning of the festival was launched by members of ‘Yala Nafarroa con Palestina,’ a pro-Palestinian group chosen by public vote,” CAM reported. “Just before the chupinazo [fireworks] soared over the tens of thousands of revelers gathered in Plaza Consistorial, Yala Nafarroa con Palestina’s Dyna Kharrat shouted ‘Stop genocide’ and ‘Free Palestine.'”

The group warned that this reflects an emerging societal trend.

“What happened in Pamplona fit into a broader emerging European phenomenon — public cultural events being repurposed to deliver messages of hate singling out Jews and Israel,” CAM wrote, citing such examples as the London concert in which the lead singer of the Irish band Fontaines D.C. led the crowd in a chant of “Free Palestine” while a digital display on the stage lit up with the words “Israel is committing genocide.”

“Festivals like San Fermín should be spaces for celebration, unity, and cultural pride, where solidarity doesn’t come at the expense of Jewish safety. This year, Pamplona failed that test,” the group concluded.