The Tomatina of Buñol returns after two years of pause with a special device to avoid sexual assaults

The Buñol tomatina returns after two years of stopping due to the coronavirus pandemic. ” We really wanted to resume our beloved party, the power to throw tomatoes and release all the adrenaline that we have accumulated in these two years,” said Maria Vallés, head of the Tourism area of the City of Buñol.

The popular festival celebrates its 75th anniversary today, although as Vallés has confirmed, the restrictions by the Covid-19 will take its toll because many international tourists will not be able to attend. ” Unfortunately, the pandemic is still being felt in countries such as China, Japan and Australia, from where we usually received a large influx of visitors. This year we are receiving more interest from visitors from European countries such as Belgium, Germany and England, and at the last minute we have noticed a greater interest from people from Italy”, she stressed.

For this edition have been prepared 130 tons of tomato and more than 10,000 people are expected to attend. In addition, this year the authorities of the Valencian municipality have designed a comprehensive safety device to prevent and avoid possible situations of gender violence or sexual assault.

An important development considering the alarming figures of sexual violence in Spain. In 2021, the country registered 547 more rapes than in the previous year, an increase of 34 per cent. A further 544 violations were reported in the first quarter of 2022.

In this regard, the ANAR foundation has also warned that cases of group sexual abuse have increased by 10%.

Given the increasing number of sexual assaults, since Equality have promoted measures to combat this scourge. From now on the country’s discotheques will have ‘violet points’: “We have the shared will, to make it clear that the street and the night are also ours and that night-time leisure spaces are safe spaces committed to the safety and enjoyment of all women,” said Minister Irene Montero.