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.”
Point phone camera here
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.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
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.
Jack Aylmer
RECOVERY EFFORTS IN SPAIN CONTINUE FOLLOWING DEVASTATING FLASH FLOODS LAST WEEK.
OUTRAGE OVER THOSE EFFORTS – WHICH SOME HAVE CALLED SLOW AND DISORGANIZED – SPILLED OVER IN THE TOWN OF PAIPORTA OVER THE WEEKEND.
THE COUNTRY’S ROYALTY WERE THE TARGET OF PROTESTS AND EVEN MUD SLINGING AS THEY SURVEYED SOME OF THE DAMAGE.
ANGRY RESIDENTS SHOUTED INSULTS AT KING FELIPE VI AND QUEEN LETIZIA, CALLING THEM “MURDERS”
THE CROWD DIDN’T HOLD BACK, THROWING MUD AND OBJECTS AT THE KING AND QUEEN AS THEY MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH TOWN.
AT ONE POINT, A BODYGUARD WAS STRUCK BY A THROWN OBJECT LEAVING HIM WITH A HEAD INJURY.
AS THE ROYAL COUPLE MOVED DOWN A PEDESTRIAN STREET, THEIR BODYGUARDS AND POLICE STRUGGLED TO CONTROL A SURGE OF ANGRY PROTESTERS.
DESPITE THE TENSION, THE KING TOOK A MOMENT TO ENGAGE WITH SOME OF THE PROTESTERS, EVEN EMBRACING A FEW.
OBJECTS WERE ALSO THROWN AT PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SÁNCHEZ, WHO WAS QUICKLY EVACUATED AS HOSTILITY IN THE CROWD INTENSIFIED.
SPANISH MEDIA REPORTED THAT STONES WERE HURLED AT HIS CAR AS HE LEFT, AND THE CROWD CHANTED, “WHERE IS SÁNCHEZ?” AFTER HIS DEPARTURE.
EMERGENCY TEAMS CONTINUE TO COMB THROUGH PARKING GARAGES AND TUNNELS IN HOPES OF FINDING SURVIVORS OR RECOVERING BODIES. THE DEATH TOLL IS ALREADY OVER 200.
THE KING LATER ACKNOWLEDGED THE “ANGER AND FRUSTRATION” IN A VIDEO POSTED ON THE ROYAL FAMILY’S INSTAGRAM.
THE MAYOR OF PAIPORTA TOLD THE BBC SHE WAS SHOCKED BY THE VIOLENCE BUT SAID SHE UNDERSTOOD THE DESPERATION.
PRIME MINISTER SÁNCHEZ HAS SINCE ORDERED TEN-THOUSAND ADDITIONAL TROOPS, POLICE OFFICERS, AND CIVIL GUARDS TO HELP IN THE RECOVERY EFFORTS—CALLING IT SPAIN’S LARGEST PEACETIME DEPLOYMENT.
THE FLOODWATERS BEGAN AFTER HEAVY RAINS LAST TUESDAY, RAVAGING PARTS OF THE VALENCIA REGION, CUTTING OFF COMMUNITIES FROM FOOD, WATER, AND ELECTRICITY.
FOR MORE UPDATES, CHECKOUT THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP WEBSITE OR DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP
FOR SAN, I’M JACK AYLMER
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
