Mud on the king. In Paiporta, one of the cities most affected by the recent floods in Spain, the Visit of King Felipe VIand Queen Letizia and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez turned into a moment of strong protest. Upon their arrival, the enraged crowd greeted the authorities with insults and throwing mud and bottles, shouting “Murderers!” to express their discontent with the delays and inefficiencies in the rescue efforts.
La anger, which grew during the days of desperation and hardship in fighting against the mud, has exploded dramatically: amidst cries of protest, the population has also targeted the governor of the Valencia region with mud and objects, Carlos Mazon, (according to many the "great responsible for the tragedy") arrived at the site of the catastrophe to show his closeness to the citizens affected. The police had to create a security cordon, but the tension quickly exceeded the limits, with moments of strong emotion and violence.
Despite the hostile climate, the King Felipe tried to dialogue with those present, saying: “No one was prepared for such a catastrophe.” Even Queen Letizia, hit by a ball of mud that visibly shook her, tried to remain calm and offer comfort. “We were left alone, we lost everything. They knew the river was flooding and no one raised the alarm,” a woman shouted. Letizia, visibly moved, could not stand the tension and burst into tears.
An afternoon of tension
The intervention of the authorities, although it was aimed at providing support, ended up further fuel the discontent of a population already exhausted by the damage suffered and the sense of abandonment. Even though he put his face on the line, King Felipe met a furious protest, addressed especially against political authorities, accused of having delayed going to the flooded areas for days. “People are dying and you are coming now!” one woman shouted in exasperation. Other protesters shouted “Get a shovel!”, throwing mud bags, bottles and various objects.
Tensions quickly rose. Amid the shouts of the crowd, some insulted the Prime Minister Sanchez calling him “a dog”. One man even tried to hit him from behind with a stick, forcing the escort to intervene. The situation degenerated to the point that the bodyguards, one of whom was wounded in the head, activated the security protocol: Sanchez was loaded into the official car, already damaged and with shattered windows, to be evacuated quickly. The growing tension led to the cancellation of the second leg of the trip of Sanchez and the king, scheduled for Chiva.
From the Emergency Center of the Community of Valencia, Sanchez then condemned the violence, while expressing understanding for the suffering of the citizens: "I express all solidarity and recognize the anguish and suffering endured." King Felipe, through a video message, also called for calm, stressing the need to understand the anger of the population.
After the clashes, the National Police and the Civil Guard have launched an investigation to identify possible infiltrators among the protesters, including suspected extremist groups. Authorities are examining footage of the protest and monitoring social media for the possible presence of ultras groups, who may have orchestrated part of the protest. Tensions remain high, and further checks are planned in the coming days to prevent an escalation of unrest.
The accusations against Governor Mazon
And meanwhile the "responsible" for the failed alarm, the governor of the Community of Valencia, Carlos Mazón, remains in his position. Mazón, is accused of alleged delay in the activation of the weather alert and is thus held responsible for not having warned the population promptly and for having contributed to the worsening of the situation. During the visit, some protesters pushed him and tried to make him fall, shouting: “Resign! How many deaths have you caused?, tell us how many there are and take a shovel too”. Mazón, visibly shaken, faced an exasperated crowd that was demanding concrete answers and measures to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.
Valencia Flood: The Death Toll Is Now 217
The death toll from the flood in Valencia is tragic: 217 people have died, 213 of them in the province of Valencia, the epicenter of the disaster. The material damage is extensive, with neighborhoods submerged and infrastructures compromised, while rescue operations continue and there are fears of new storms.
The agriculture minister Ángel Víctor Torres confirmed the number of victims, but the toll could worsen, especially in relation to what could be found in the “cemetery” under the parking lot of the Bonaire shopping center.
The weather is not giving any respite, new alert in the next few hours
Rescue operations continue but the bad weather persistsThe Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) has issued a new red alert for the area, forecasting intense thunderstorms with precipitation exceeding 90 l/m² in one hour. The regional government has activated the Es-Alert system to alert residents, recommending them to follow the Civil Protection instructions and take refuge on the upper floors of buildings. Concern about new floods is high and the authorities are stepping up prevention measures. It is still time to dig, but sooner or later it will be necessary to provide answers to the population of the southern area of Valencia, who feel abandoned and are asking for clarification.
