Angry residents in the Valencia region unleashed their frustration on Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, booing and throwing eggs and mud as the royal couple arrived to survey flood-ravaged areas.
With over 200 lives lost in the recent catastrophic flooding, emotions ran high as the royals, joined by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and regional governor Carlos Mazon, visited Paiporta, one of the hardest-hit areas near Valencia city.
Also Read:
The crowd’s anger was palpable, with chants of “murderer” directed at King Felipe and louder accusations against officials.
Many locals are enraged at what they view as a slow and poorly coordinated government response, accusing authorities of failing to act swiftly to mitigate the disaster’s impact.
Tensions flared further as officials paused to take photos, inciting jeers and a surge in the crowd. Security scrambled, using umbrellas to shield officials from eggs, mud, and other projectiles.
Despite, King Felipe displayed composure and empathy, lowering his umbrella to listen to an irate resident while police struggled to maintain order.
Queen Letizia also braved the crowd’s fury, appearing visibly shaken as she held her head in her hands.
The Royal Family’s social media later shared a video of the king and queen comforting grieving residents; a weeping man was shown falling into the king’s arms, and in another moment, Felipe embraced two crying women.
Felipe is generally a well-regarded figure, ascending to the throne after his father’s abdication, and his popularity has remained stable not until this incident.
Prime Minister Sanchez’s office released a statement acknowledging the departure due to safety concerns, while Mazon posted on social media, expressing understanding of the crowd’s anger and lauding the king’s “exemplary” conduct during the crisis.
The death toll from the floods has reached at least 214, with the number potentially rising as authorities recover more victims.
In response to the outrage, Sanchez admitted that the government’s response “was not enough” and ordered 5,000 additional troops to aid in salvage and recovery, describing the storm as Spain’s “worst natural disaster” in history.
Authorities further warned Valencia residents on Sunday, raising the alert to the maximum red level as more rain was anticipated.
In a display of solidarity, thousands of volunteers responded to the government’s call for help in clearing flood debris.
