Angry residents booed and threw eggs at Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia as they visited the Valencia region, where more than 200 people have died in devastating floods.
The king faced chants of “murderers” as he hard-hit visited Paiporta, just outside of Valencia city, along with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and regional governor Carlos Mazon, where locals accuse authorities of a lax response to the disaster.
After they posed for a photo, the crowd began hurling insults at the king, Mazon and Sanchez. The crowd surged forwards as security opened umbrellas to try and protect them from projectiles.
Confronted by one resident, Felipe remained calm and lowered his umbrella to listen to him as police struggled to control those gathered. Queen Letizia also also spoke with furious residents and seemed visibly shaken, holding her head in her hands.
The Royal Family’s social media channel released video in the aftermath of the protest, showing the king and queen embracing distraught residents. One man fell weeping into the king’s arms and in another shot, the King is seen hugging two crying women.
It is unusual for a Spanish king to face such fierce anger up close. Felipe is a relatively popular figure, who ascended the throne after the abdication of his father.
The anger appeared largely directed at Sanchez and Mazon, who left early even as the king insisted on staying on despite the chaos.
Sanchez’s office in a statement said that the prime minister had been taken away, following security protocol. In a statement on X, Mazon said he understood the anger and praised the “exemplary” conduct of the king.
At least 214 people are now confirmed dead from the floods and the toll may climb higher. Among the latest victims was a 70-year-old woman whose body was found more than 12 kilometers (seven miles) from her house
The slow and uncoordinated response to the crisis has infuriated many in Valencia. Text alerts came hours after warnings of flooding from the weather service.
On Saturday, Sanchez ordered 5,000 more troops to help with salvage efforts in flooded areas, calling the storm the “worst natural disaster” in the county’s history.
He addressed the anger and frustration at the slow response by authorities, admitting it was “not enough”.
Part of the problem has been political. Mazon and Sanchez are from different parties, and under Spain’s political system, Spain’s federal government cannot release emergency funds and resources without the authorization from a regional government. That didn’t happen until Saturday, four days after the floods hit.
Thousands of volunteers meanwhile have answered the provincial government’s call for help to clear flood debris. Authorities seemed unprepared and overwhelmed, quickly running out of supplies and scrambling to find more buses to transport people.
Volunteers waited hours only to be turned away, frustrating many. Pedro de Juan, 18, had only seen scenes like this in the movies but he showed up before 7 a.m. to board the volunteer buses. He voiced the frustration many are feeling.
“The military and police are helping but not as much as we hoped and they are days late.”
