People In Spain Heckled The King And Pelted Him With Mud To Protest The Country’s Worst Floods in Decades
Residents of the region have been critical of the government’s response to the disaster, saying they failed to properly warn people and criticizing the slow emergency response.
The King and Queen of Spain were heckled and had mud thrown at them while they were visiting the flood-hit region of Valencia.
Heavy rain struck the eastern region on Tuesday, Oct. 29, causing catastrophic floods that killed more than 200 people, making it the deadliest flood in the country in decades.
On Sunday, Nov. 3, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited towns affected by the storm and floods, alongside Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez and the regional leader Carlos Mazon.
The King and Queen received the most backlash while touring the city of Paiporta, one of the most severely affected towns.
One video showed King Felipe VI walking down a street as residents started throwing mud and objects towards him, prompting his bodyguards to open up umbrellas.
Another video showed an emotional Queen Letizia with what appears to be a mud stain on her face, interacting with locals.
Residents of the region have been critical of the government’s response to the disaster, saying they failed to properly warn people and criticizing the slow emergency response.
“They left us to die. We’ve lost everything: our businesses, our homes, our dreams,” one woman told the BBC.
Following the incident, King Felipe VI said he understood “the anger and frustration of many people given all that they have gone through.”
The Spanish royals were meant to visit another hard-hit town, Chiva, but postponed their visit.
Prime minister Sánchez has acknowledged that the current response isn’t enough.
“I know we have to do better and give it our all,” he said.
As of Monday Nov. 5, the death toll was at 217, but authorities fear the number will rise.
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Sofia Hou
Isha Jain
