Play video, “Video shows angry crowd confronting Spanish king”, 방송 길이 1,4201:42Video description: Angry citizens throwing objects at the King of Spain during his visit to the flood-hit Valencia region.Article related information
Spain’s King Felipe VI and his wife were hit with mud by angry protesters when they visited the Valencia region, which was hit hard by recent flooding.
As the King and Queen, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and government leaders passed through the Piporta area, the most damaged area in Valencia, they were met with criticism such as “murderers” and “shame on you.”
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were also captured comforting citizens with mud on their faces and clothes.
This flood is the worst in Spain’s decades-long history, killing more than 200 people. Search operations are still underway in underground parking lots and tunnels to find survivors and bodies.
As anger grew over the authorities’ lack of prior warning and inadequate support for the flood damage, bodyguards and police were suddenly overwhelmed as protesters screaming and swearing crowded around King Felipe VI as he walked.
Image caption: King Felipe VI of Spain was booed by angry residents during his visit to the flood-hit town of Paiporta, Valencia.
While they were trying their best to protect the king and his wife, some protesters threw mud and other things.
The King spoke directly with some of the protesters and even hugged them.
In photos of the scene, the king and queen have mud on their faces and clothes, as do their aides holding umbrellas around the departing king and queen.
Play video, “Queen Letizia in tears on visit to flood-hit Valencia”, 방송 길이 0,3200:32Video description, Queen Letizia sheds tears while visiting Valencia
Prime Minister Sánchez and Valencia Governor Carlos Masson also accompanied the King and Queen, but soon left as the atmosphere became increasingly hostile.
Spanish local media reported that citizens threw objects at Prime Minister Sánchez, and a video confirmed by the BBC showed stones being thrown at a vehicle carrying Prime Minister Sánchez.
After the Prime Minister left, citizens shouted, “Where is Sánchez?”
A boy named ‘Pau’ cried in an interview with the BBC and pleaded, “I’m only 16.”
“We are helping (each other), but our leaders are doing nothing. People are still dying. “I can’t take it anymore.”
Another woman said, “They left us to die. “We lost everything: our business, our home, our dreams,” he said.
Civil guards and mounted officers were later seen trying to disperse the angry crowd.
The king and his wife had also planned to visit Chiba, another region in Valencia that has suffered extensive flooding, but this was postponed.
Meanwhile, King Felipe VI posted a video on the royal family’s official Instagram account, expressing his understanding of the protesters’ “anger and frustration.”
Image captionMore than 60 deaths have been reported so far in the Paiporta region
Pieporta mayor Maribel Albarat told the BBC she was shocked by the violence but understood the “frustration and despair of residents.”
Juan Borde, a member of the Valencian parliament, said the king and queen’s visit was a “very bad decision.”
Bordet told the BBC that authorities “did not listen to any warnings.” He said, “It is natural that citizens are angry. “It is natural that citizens did not understand why this visit was made in such a hurry,” he added.
On the 2nd, Prime Minister Sánchez ordered the deployment of 10,000 additional soldiers, police, and civil guards to the area.
Prime Minister Sánchez said it was the largest deployment of personnel in Spain outside of wartime, but added that he knew the response was “not sufficient” and acknowledged there were “many problems and shortcomings.”
This flood began after a surprise downpour on the 29th. The bridge quickly collapsed due to the rising water, and several areas were covered with mud.
Many villages were cut off from the outside world, making it impossible to use essential public services such as water, food, and electricity.
Photo caption: Volunteers carrying mops, buckets and brooms head to an area particularly affected by floods.
On the 3rd, the number of deaths due to flooding increased to 217, and it is believed that many more are missing.
Most of the deaths confirmed so far have been reported in the Valencia region on the Mediterranean coast.
Some regions have been particularly hard hit. In the Paiporta region, where the king and queen visited, the death toll reached at least 62.
On the 3rd, the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) issued the highest level warning for some areas in southern Valencia, including Alcira, Cullera, and Gandia.
While another storm is expected to pass through the region, AEMET said it is not expected to be on the same scale as the storm that hit on the 29th, and predicted rainfall of around 90 mm.
Additional reporting: Mimi Swabi
