Localidades Galicia Ltd is a Spanish company that represents the ‘plaza
\nde toros de Las Ventas’ in the east of Madrid, one of the largest and
\nmost popular bullrings in Spain. The company, operated by one Jose
\nCarril Obiols, sells tickets to a relatively small number of locals as
\nwell as a much larger number of foreign tourists from the USA, Europe,
\nChina and other countries who wish to attend a bullfight. By convincing
\ngullible tourists that bullfighting is a culture and a sport rather than
\njust the cowardly act of a few sadists the company is able to make
\nhundreds of thousands of Euros in profit every year while thousands of
\nbulls die a slow and painful death as a result.<\/p>\n
The bullfighting industry and companies such as Localidades Galicia also
\nhave strong links to the far right in Spain. Extreme right wing parties
\nsuch as Vox had matadors as candidates in the recent elections and it
\nshould surprise nobody that people who enjoy torturing non-human animals
\nto death frequently also hate immigrants, feminists, same sex couples
\nand really anyone who isn’t a fascist.<\/p>\n
Fortunately for decent people who care about justice these people who
\npromote and profit from violence can no longer do it secretly in the
\nshadows. The latest fresh leak of client data from Localidades Galicia
\ncovers more than a 12 year period from January 2007 until May 2019 and
\nincludes over 50,000 records. This includes the name, email address and
\ntelephone number of each person who bought a ticket to attend a
\nbullfight at Las Ventas as well as other data such as the price paid
\nand the date of the bullfight. The company had previously been hacked in
\nJuly of 2017 by hacktivists associated with the Anonymous collective who
\ndefaced the web site with anti-bullfighting messages as well as copying
\nand then leaking a lot of data.<\/p>\n
Today we have made the latest full database available to several
\njournalists and activist groups. It is our hope that people will use the
\nleaked database to reach out to and educate those who have fallen for
\nthe bullfighting PR and spin as well as to put pressure on Localidades
\nGalicia to cease their bloody trade.<\/p>\n
As part of an art project and in the tradition of groups such as the Yes
\nMen we also recently sent out an email to several thousand of the people
\nin the leaked database, impersonating Localidades Galicia and announcing
\nthat their personal details had been handed over to law enforcement to
\nassist with an international investigation into animal cruelty. Below we
\ninclude the satirical email that was sent out followed by a small sample
\nof the hundreds of replies that we received. Among those contacted were
\nall the people who bought tickets in the last few weeks for bullfights
\nthat have not yet happened. Many of these people requested to cancel
\ntheir tickets and stated that they would no longer be attending.<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
Subject: Bullfighting tickets – Law Enforcement Investigation<\/p>\n
Dear Customer,<\/p>\n
I am writing to inform you that we have recently had to respond to a
\nrequest from international law enforcement agencies to turn over the
\npersonal details of all our customers. As you may have seen in the news,
\nrecent legislation agreed by the EU, USA and several other countries
\nmakes it unlawful for citizens to engage in animal cruelty in Spain that
\nwould be illegal in their home country. This most obviously affects
\ntourists coming to Spain to watch bullfighting.<\/p>\n
As part of the Interpol investigation into ‘torture tourism’ Localidades
\nGalicia Ltd has been compelled by the courts in Madrid to hand over a
\ncopy of our customer database containing full personal details of
\neveryone who has bought tickets from us. This has been delivered to both
\nEuropol and the FBI on 29th April 2019 in order for a full investigation
\nto be carried out. We do not expect criminal charges to be filed against
\nmany of our customers in their home countries but as this is a genuine
\nrisk we have decided to inform everyone involved. It is likely that all
\nof our customers will unfortunately be added to the animal cruelty
\nregister database which is accessible to law enforcement agencies in all
\nEU countries as well as the USA. It is our advice that each person
\naffected seeks legal advice in their own country.<\/p>\n
Further to the new international regulations, and coinciding with the
\nsharp decline in the popularity of bullfighting, we are happy to
\nannounce that as of 1st June 2019 we will be selling only tickets to
\nfootball matches. We hope that our foreign customers will come to Spain
\nagain but this time to enjoy a real sport.<\/p>\n
We would like to apologize for our behavior over the past 15 years which
\nwe now recognize has been unacceptable. We acknowledge that promoting
\nbullfighting and having links to far right racist political parties such
\nas Vox has caused immense suffering to the most vulnerable members of
\nour society.<\/p>\n
If you have any questions about the situation please do not hesitate to
\ncontact us by email at galicia@bullfightticketsmadrid.com or call us on
\n0034 915 319 131.<\/p>\n
We thank you for your support in the past and we hope that you, like us,
\ncan now find forms of entertainment that do not rely on the torture of
\nsentient beings.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,
\nJose Carril Obiols<\/p>\n
Localidades Galicia Ltd of Madrid<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
Re: Madrid Bullfighting Tickets
\nFrom: Malu Caluag <malucaluag@yahoo.com>
\nDate: Today, 02:59:45 AM EDT
\nTo: Localidades Galicia<\/p>\n
In light of your very disturbing email, we have decided not to watch the
\nbullfight. Kindly give us a refund of our tickets was soon as possible.<\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n
Malu Caluag<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
Re: Bullfighting tickets – Law Enforcement Investigation
\nFrom: Beverly Tomboc <btomboc@comcast.net>
\nDate: Today, 01:18:23 PM EDT
\nTo: Localidades Galicia<\/p>\n
Hello! Are you able to refund our tickets since our jobs prohibit any
\npossible law enforcement infringement? Thank you!<\/p>\n
Tickets purchased for 5\/18\/2019 at 7pm bullfight<\/p>\n
Sent from my iPhone
\nBeverly Tomboc<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
Re: Bullfighting tickets – Law Enforcement Investigation
\nFrom: Claudette Boulet <cloboulet@videotron.ca>
\nDate: Today, 01:11:58 PM EDT
\nTo: Localidades Galicia<\/p>\n
To whom it may concern,<\/p>\n
We are very sad and concerned by the present situation and we would have
\nappreciated being informed before buying the actual tickets.<\/p>\n
At no time, we want our names to be added to the animal cruelty register
\ndatabase and have future problems with law enforcement agencies in all
\nEU countries as well as the USA. We do travel a lot and therefore it is
\nmandatory for us not to have any problem with legal authorities.<\/p>\n
Thus, we would like to cancel our tickets for the upcoming event of June
\n1st, 2019 with the refund of the amount already paid.<\/p>\n
We also request you to inform the international law enforcement agencies
\nof our decision not to attend any bullfighting event and to amend your
\ncustomer database by removing our names with all our personal details.<\/p>\n
Thank you for following up on this matter.
\nPlease acknowledge receipt of the present email.<\/p>\n
Yours faithfully,<\/p>\n
Claudette Boulet<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
RE: Bullfighting tickets – Law Enforcement Investigation
\nFrom: alec & sharon Dalgleish <harerunner@btinternet.com>
\nDate: Today, 03:21:56 AM EDT
\nTo: Localidades Galicia<\/p>\n
Dear Sir or Madam,<\/p>\n
I feel obliged to reply to your email, this is the first time that I
\nhave bought tickets from you, to go see the Spanish bullfight, to form
\nan opinion for myself, on whether I think it (torture tourism) or
\n(culture).I now find myself having my details passed on to the FBI
\nbecause of your political correctness. I presume that in the past you
\nhave been happy to have been making profit from the sale of these
\ntickets. SHAME ON YOU . I have not given you permission to hand out my
\npersonal details to anyone so therefore you do not have the right to do s=
\no.<\/p>\n
I await your reply!<\/p>\n
A Dalgleish<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
Re: Madrid Bullfighting Tickets
\nFrom: tgranello@libero.it
\nDate: Today, 08:19:26 AM EDT
\nTo: Localidades Galicia
\nCc: n.granello <n.granello@studiosardano.it>
\n=09
\nHi,
\nthank you for the email. I was not informed about this before buying the
\nticket (I had preferred actually to know about It before) but thx for
\nthe email. Considering that I took part about something that is legal in
\nyour country, defined by your local regulation and part of your culture,
\nI hope that I won=E2=80=99t have problems. Anyway I have to say that I=E2=
\n=80=99m sure
\nthat this kind or sport and lifestyle is not part of my personal being
\nand that I won=E2=80=99t assist at any other match in the future.
\nThank you
\nKind regards<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
Re: Bullfighting tickets – Law Enforcement Investigation
\nFrom: Kailey Thurgood <kthurgood@ryerson.ca>
\nDate: Today, 09:27:20 AM EDT
\nTo: Localidades Galicia
\n=09
\nPlease stop giving my email out to people.<\/p>\n
You don=E2=80=99t have my consent or permission to be giving my email to =
\nanyone
\nand all of a sudden I am being spammed with fake emails every single day.=<\/p>\n
Remove my email from whatever list you are giving people because it is
\nillegal. You DO NOT have my consent and it=E2=80=99s infringing on privac=
\ny laws.<\/p>\n
#####<\/p>\n
From: ROBERT HALADAY
\nDate: 05\/05\/2019 (07:11:52 PM EDT)
\nTo: Localidades Galicia
\nCc: Bob Haladay <BobHaladay@comcast.net><\/p>\n
Jose Carril Obiols
\nLocalidades Galicia
\nPlaza del Carmen, 1, 28013 Madrid, Spain<\/p>\n
Thank you for your note yesterday (May 4, 2019), offering a refund of
\nthe cost of the ticket I purchased
\non Feb. 19, 2019, for the bullfight scheduled in Las Ventas on June 23.<\/p>\n
The relevant details are the following: Cost was 101 Euros; paid with
\nMasterCard ending in x…1497;
\nthrough PayPal listed as *Localidades; receipt number 84973485702226244.<\/p>\n
I had asked that the ticket (one) be delivered to Hotel LaPepa Chic on
\nJune 16.<\/p>\n
How will you handle the refund? I believe the easiest way for both of
\nus will be that you credit the same MasterCard with the amount of E101.
\nIs that possible and agreeable to you? Please let me know and confirm
\nwhat method you will use.<\/p>\n
Sincerely,
\nRobert H. Haladay
\n9808 Denali Rd. NE
\nAlbuquerque, New Mexico, USA
\n87111
\n1-505\/828-0461<\/p>\n
R. H. Haladay<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Localidades Galicia Ltd is a Spanish company that represents the ‘plaza de toros de Las Ventas’ in the east of Madrid, one of the largest and most popular bullrings in Spain. The company, operated by one Jose Carril Obiols, sells tickets to a relatively small number of locals as well as a much larger number … <\/p>\n