Joker runner identified and fined at Pamplona's San Fermín after filming himself touch a bull during fifth bull run

A young man disguised as the DC Comics villain the Joker, his hair dyed green and face painted white with a wide grin, became the most talked-about figure of the 2026 Sanfermines before being identified and sanctioned by the Municipal Police of Pamplona on Saturday 11 July. What began as a viral curiosity on TikTok and X ended with a formal complaint and a fine for violating the event's strict prohibition on recording devices.

A villain on the cobblestones

The Joker first appeared during the early days of the fiestas, which officially began on Monday with the traditional chupinazo. Unlike the thousands of runners dressed in the customary white shirts and red neckerchiefs, this participant stood out for his meticulous make-up and green hair. Images of him quickly spread across social media, with Noticias de Navarra already writing about the "mysterious Joker of the bull runs" on Friday 10 July. Reactions were split: some found the costume a harmless splash of colour, while veteran runners saw it as a violation of the unwritten code of the encierro.

The fifth running and an on-camera fall

The climax came on Saturday during the fifth bull run, a crowded and chaotic affair featuring the notoriously dangerous cárdeno bulls from the José Escolar ranch. The run left 16 people requiring medical assistance and six needing hospital transfer. A 30-year-old man from Alicante was gored by a horn. The Joker positioned himself at the final stretch near the entrance to the bullring's alley and was knocked down and trampled along with other runners.

What triggered outrage was not the fall but what he did upon getting up. According to multiple outlets, he pulled out a mobile phone and began filming himself while still on the course, at one point touching one of the Escolar bulls. The Municipal Police located and identified him inside the bullring, then removed him and filed a complaint.

A wave of recording devices

The Joker's case is the most visible example of a trend that Pamplona authorities say is surging. In the first five days of the 2026 fiestas, police confiscated 54 pairs of smart glasses from runners who intended to record the run from the inside. Officers told EFE that while runners with mobile phones had been detected in previous years, the devices have become more sophisticated and harder to spot.

Lo primero es la seguridad.

The Encierro Ordinance, in its Article 11, makes it "strictly prohibited and subject to complaint by security forces" to use any image or sound recording device, including mobile phones, inside the course or reserved barriers without authorisation. These acts are classified as serious infractions under the Foral Law 2/1989 of 13 March, with fines ranging from 601 to 6,000 euros depending on whether the runner endangered others or obstructed the event.

Three complaints and a plea for co-operation

The Local Civil Protection Board reported on Saturday that three complaints have been filed so far during these Sanfermines for breaches of the Encierro Ordinance. On 9 July, two people were sanctioned: one for touching the bulls or drawing their attention, and another for climbing onto a drainpipe to watch the run, endangering themselves and the runners below. The third, filed this Saturday, is the case of the Joker recording with his mobile phone.

The police describe the profile of these rule-breakers as predominantly young, both Spanish and foreign nationals, seeking to share images on social media. Officers have emphasised that respecting the rules is critical to maintaining safety and that a dedicated unit is tasked with detecting irregularities before and during each run.

The Joker now faces a fine in the 601–6,000 euro range, bringing an abrupt end to a persona that had captivated the festival's online audience but ultimately collided with Pamplona's enforcement of its centuries-old tradition.