A bill in Catalonia to ban bullfighting in the Spanish region  has cleared its first obstacle today in the local legislature Friday.

A lobby group that believes that bullfighting amounts to cruelty has collected some 180,000 signatures in favour of a ban in bullfighting in Catalonia.

Many people however, see a political motive in this campaign to ban the bull fights. Catalonia has always enjoyed a pro-independence sentiment that rejects symbols of traditional Spain, such as bullfighting.

Friday’s vote in the 135-seat regional parliament in Barcelona was on whether to take up the bill formally for debate. It passed by a 67-59 vote, with five abstentions.

A parliamentary commission will now study the bill but a final debate and votation on whether to actually outlaw and ban bullfighting in Catalonia is still some months away.