25 people have been reportedly injured during an amateur bullfighting event in Turbaco, a northern Colombian city. Four of these people were reportedly gored by the bull.

Colombia celebrates the traditional festival known to the locals as "corraleja." The public is invited to participate in engaging the bulls in the ring. Unlike the Spanish style of bullfighting, the bulls are not killed after the fight. Only a handful of experienced bullfighters participate in the five-day event, while the rest are thrill-seekers or amateurs who want to try their luck at bullfighting.

BBC reports that those who were gored by the bull are in serious condition. Dozens of people try to tame a wild bull in a ring especially set up for the occasion. Only some of those taking part in the five-day event are experienced bullfighters.

While the event has been met with some criticism, especially from animal rights advocates, those who have participated in the events say that "people enjoy it."

According to Fox News Latino, these improvised bullfights take place in a wooden bullring. Crowds usually come from all over, after some heavy drinking, to participate in the revelry. People are known to leap into the ring, usually brandishing some rag as a makeshift bullfighter's cape. Some of these thrillseekers even come to the ring barehanded, all wanting their moment of glory in the ring amidst cheers from the Colombian crowd.

The locals who have participated in this annual event say that this is in no way like the bullfighting event in Spain where they killed the bulls after the event. Those who attend and advocate for festival say that they try in every way to "preserve the life of the bulls." However, the event has come under fire by advocates of animal rights as many of the bulls have reportedly died due to the excesses of the crowd, who were heavily influenced by liquor.

Last year, it was reported by The Daily Mail that a mob, clearly influenced by heavy drinking, killed a bull with machetes, rocks, knives and sticks during the festival. Dozens of people reportedly chased the bull, and taunted the poor animal until it was exhausted, then slowly beat it to death. Activists and even some Colombian government officials demanded legal action after the killing of the bull was posted online. 

The Ministry of Culture has also released a statement that would call for severe punishments for the so-called "barbaric" incident and has suggested a public debate should be held to see whether or not festivals such as this should be allowed to continue.