Approximately 130,000 individuals in Valencia have demanded the resignation of the regional government leader.
Demonstrations in Valencia and Madrid on Saturday turned violent, with clashes erupting between protesters and police. These protests were sparked by public anger over the perceived inadequate response of Spanish authorities to deadly floods that ravaged Spain weeks ago.
The floods, caused by torrential rains, resulted in at least 220 fatalities and the destruction of thousands of homes and businesses in the province of Valencia. As many as 80 individuals remain unaccounted for in what officials are calling one of Europe’s most severe natural disasters in recent decades.
Approximately 130,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Valencia, according to El Pais newspaper, to demand the resignation of Carlos Mazon, the head of the provincial government.
Locals hold Mazon responsible for failing to issue a timely flood alert on October 29. By the time the warning was issued, water had already inundated residential areas. Mazon has defended himself by claiming he wasn’t promptly informed of the situation’s severity by the government’s water monitoring body.
Protesters chanted slogans like “Murderers” and “Mazon resign,” while carrying banners with messages such as “You killed us” and “Our hands are stained with mud, yours with blood.”
The rally began peacefully but escalated as the crowds approached the city council building. Videos from the scene show police using batons to disperse rioters. Some protesters fought back with brooms, which they carried as symbols of their post-flood cleanup efforts.
📌After the flood that killed 220 people in Valencia, clashes broke out between the police and the protesters demanding the resignation of the Spanish government.
— 𝕬𝖐ı𝖓𝖈ı (@soneerbozkurt)
Demonstrators hurled flares, stones, and mud at the building. Some also left dirty boots outside the city council as a gesture of their frustration with local authorities. However, according to Reuters, the building sustained only minor damage during the protest.
Thousands participated in a similar protest in Madrid, many carrying Spanish flags. They chanted slogans criticizing both Mazon and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. At one point, rioters in the crowd dismantled barricades and pelted police with flares and stones. The officers responded with batons and tear gas, triggering a stampede that was captured on video.
Demonstrations also took place in Alicante, Elche, and other locations to denounce the Spanish authorities’ handling of the floods.