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Thousands of revelers gather in Buñol, Spain, for the annual La Tomatina food fight festival

Thousands of international tourists and locals gathered in Buñol, Spain, for the annual La Tomatina festival, a tradition dating back to 1945. Participants hurled 330,700 pounds of tomatoes at each other in a chaotic celebration, with the primary rule requiring participants to squash the fruit before tossing it to avoid injuries. The event, which draws approximately 20,000 people to the small town, was marked by a festive atmosphere despite a brief moment of chaos when police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. While some attendees received medical treatment for respiratory irritation from the spray, the festival proceeded as planned. The citric acid in the tomatoes serves as a natural cleaning agent, often leaving the town streets cleaner than they were before the festivities. The festival has gained significant international popularity, particularly in India, following its appearance in the 2011 Bollywood film "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara."

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