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Spanish bullfighter under investigation for baby in ring photo | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A Spanish bullfighter has been referred to prosecutors after he posted a picture of himself training while carrying his baby daughter. | |
Andalusia's Ombudsman for Children's office said it showed a "situation of unnecessary risk to a minor". | |
Animal rights activists and others have branded Francisco Rivera Ordonez "irresponsible" and "an idiot". | |
But fellow bullfighters have tweeted their support and shown pictures of other children around the animals. | |
A caption accompanying the photograph, which was uploaded to Instagram on Monday, refers to the episode as the five month old's "debut". | A caption accompanying the photograph, which was uploaded to Instagram on Monday, refers to the episode as the five month old's "debut". |
Mr Rivera has responded to the row by saying: "She is never going to be safer than she is in my arms." | |
However, the Andalusian authorities said they "totally rejected" his actions and had referred the case to prosecutors. | |
"We hope that such behaviour is not repeated and that the social media reaction ensures that it is not accepted as normal," the ombudsman's office said in a statement (in Spanish). | |
Bafflement online | |
The move followed a storm of criticism online. | |
"Putting your daughter in danger, even if it is a calf, I don't understand," wrote one person quoted by El Pais. | |
"If I were your wife, I'd kill you," read another message. | |
British comedian Ricky Gervais, a well known animal rights campaigner and bullfighting critic tweeted that he "sorta fused animal abuse with child abuse" before deleting the post, according to El Pais. | |
But he later tweeted that bullfighting was "mental, dangerous and cruel. With or without a baby". | |
'Respect our values' | |
However, Mr Rivera has been staunchly defended by other bullfighters, who have posted their own images of them holding children in the ring. | |
"What's the problem in showing our children a profession that we love and is filled with values?" tweeted bullfighter Manuel El Cordobés Díaz. | |
"With my nephew in support of @paquirri74," tweeted Álvaro Oliver. "Respect our life, respect our values." | |
However, the Spanish animal rights group Pacma tweeted that bullfighters were "entrenched in error" and were "violating moral principles". | |
One of the country's most popular bullfighters, Mr Rivera is taking a break from professional fights since he was gored through the stomach by a bull in August 2015. | |
His father, known across Spain as Paquirri, was gored to death by a bull in 1984, at the age of 36. | His father, known across Spain as Paquirri, was gored to death by a bull in 1984, at the age of 36. |