Crowd throws mud at Spain’s king and queen after deadly flood

Recovery efforts continued in Spain following severe flash floods but public frustration erupted over what many called a slow and disorganized response. In Paiporta, Spain, outrage over the handling of the crisis boiled over during the weekend of Nov. 2, leading to tense encounters with the country’s royalty and officials.

During a visit to survey the damage, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia faced protests and even physical hostility. As they moved through Paiporta, angry residents shouted insults, calling the monarchs “murderers.”

The crowd also threw mud and objects at the royal couple. 

At one point, a bodyguard sustained a head injury after being struck by an object. The situation escalated as the royals walked down a pedestrian street. Bodyguards and police struggled at times to push past the crowd.

Despite the hostile atmosphere, King Felipe took a moment to engage with some protesters. At one point he even embraced a few protesters in a show of empathy.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who also visited the region, became another target of the crowd’s anger. 

As the hostility intensified, officials quickly evacuated Sánchez. Spanish media reported stones were thrown at his car as he left, and the crowd chanted, “Where is Sánchez?” after his departure.

Emergency teams continued searching parking garages and tunnels, hoping to find survivors or recover bodies. The flood’s death toll had already exceeded 200.

In a video posted on the royal family’s Instagram, the king acknowledged the public’s “anger and frustration.”

Paiporta Mayor Isabel Martín expressed shock at the violence but told the BBC she understood the residents’ desperation. In response to the outcry, Prime Minister Sánchez ordered an additional 10,000 troops, police officers and civil guards to aid in the recovery. He said it was Spain’s largest peacetime deployment ever.

The floodwaters had swept through parts of the Valencia region following heavy rains on Tuesday, Oct. 29, leaving communities cut off from food, water and electricity.