Video: 2,000 sheep invade Madrid as part of symbolic shepherd protest

Shepherds herded the sheep into Spain's capital to call for the government to protect 800-year-old migration and grazing routes

Nearly 2,000 sheep were herded through Madrid on Sunday (AP)

A flock of 2,000 sheep were herded through Madrid on Sunday, as part of a symbolic protest by Spanish shepherds to ensure that grazing and migration rights would be protected in the face of increasing urbanisation.

The Spanish capital came to a standstill as the massive flock of sheep were herded past Madrid’s major landmarks including the Puerta del Sol and the Bank of Spain headquarters, causing many of Madrid’s main roads to be closed and traffic to come to a standstill.

The shepherds made a stop at old town hall, the Casa de la villa, so that the group’s head shepherd could make a payment of 25 maravedies, an old Spanish currency, as payment to Madrid authorities for being allowed to use the route.

Since then, the Trashumancia has been important ritual for Spain’s shepherds and the welfare of their flocks.

Nevertheless, in modern times the number of shepherds now taking these routes has decreased significantly and those shepherds that still rely on the Trashumancia are calling on the government to ensure that these are maintained so that the tradition can continue.

Accompanying the sheep and shepherds, were musicians and dancers dressed in traditional Spanish rural attire worn by rural workers in the Spanish countryside centuries ago.

Additional Reporting AP