Mexico City, Mexico – Sunday, about 1,000 animal rights activists filled República Plaza in front of City Hall in Mexico City staging a protest to demand an end to bullfighting, a deep-rooted tradition in Mexico.

According to the organizers, this action was carried out simultaneously in several states in the country and the majority of the people who took part in these protests showed up partially clothed with simulated smeared blood and imitation barbed darts that bull fighters use against the animals, on their bodies.

Some of the animal rights activists spent about an hour lying on the ground completely silent to simulate the slaughter of bulls, while other protesters chanted slogans against bullfighting.

The demonstration's main objective was to support the initiative that is being introduced in Mexico City for the abolition of bullfighting.

Mexico City is home to the Plaza Monumental, which can seat 40,000 people and is considered the world’s largest bullfighting ring.

"The capital should become the 'vanguard city' in doing away with bullfights in Mexico," said Leonora Esquivel Esquivel, president of Mexico's chapter of AnimaNaturalis, an international non profit animal rights organization. "It is imperative to end this show where people applaud the abuse and violent death of a living being."

Dozens of people out for a Sunday stroll in the capital city stopped by to take a look at the protesters and listen to their message. Phrases like "Neither art nor culture, stop torture," covered banners during the protests.

According to Esquivel, the countries where bullfighting is the most deeply rooted are Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. "Most Mexicans oppose bullfighting," she said, but did not provide any statistics to support her statement.

About 9,000 bulls are slaughtered every year at rings in Mexico, where bullfighting dates back to the 16th century.