Crowd of Spain's flood survivors toss mud and shout insults at King Felipe VI
A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials on their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns.
Government officials accompanied the monarch who tried to talk to some locals on Sunday while others shouted at him in Paiporta, an outskirt of Valencia city that has been devastated.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was evacuated from the scene, according to Spanish broadcaster RTVE, when the official contingent started to walk the mud-covered streets of Paiporta, one of the hardest hit areas where over 60 people perished and thousands of lives were shattered.
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Spain's King Felipe VI, right, speaks with protesters in Paiporta, near Valencia, Spain, A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns, on Sunday, November 3, 2024. Ana Escobar/EFE via AP
Spain's Queen Letizia speaks with people affected by the floods in Paiporta, near Valencia, Spain, Sunday Nov. 3, 2024. A crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods have tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain's King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns, on Sunday, November 3, 2024. Ana Escobar/EFE via AP
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Police had to step in with officers on horseback to keep back the crowd of several dozens.
"Get out! Get out!" and "Killers!" rang out among other insults. Bodyguards opened umbrellas to protect the royals and officials as protestors launched mud their way.
After being forced to seek protection from the mud, the king remained calm and made several efforts to speak to individual residents. One person appeared to have wept on his shoulder. He shook the hand of a man.
It was an unprecedented incident for a Royal House that takes great care to craft an image of a monarch who is liked by the nation.
Queen Letizia and regional Valencia President Carlo Mazón were also in the contingent. The queen also spoke to women with small glops of mud on her hands and arms.
More than 200 people have died from Tuesday's floods and thousands have had their homes destroyed by the wall of water and mud.
Items covered in mud are pictured in an area affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, on Sunday, November 3, 2024. AP Photo/Manu Fernandez
Spain's Queen Letizia speaks with people affected by the floods after crowd of angry survivors of Spain's floods tossed mud and shouted insults at the Spain's King Felipe and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns. after floods in Paiporta near Valencia, Spain, on Sunday, November 3, 2024. AP Photo/Hugo Torres
Indignation of the management of Spain's worst natural disaster in living memory started after the initial shock wore off.
The floods had started filling Paiporta with crushing waves when the regional officials issued an alert to mobile phones that sounded two hours too late.
And more anger has been fuelled by the inability of officials to respond quickly to aftermath. Most of the cleanup of the layers and layers of mud and debris that has invaded countless homes has been done my residents and thousands of volunteers.
"We have lost everything!" someone shouted.
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