Spanish monarch hit with mud by angry flood responders
Residents of a town affected by flooding have hurled mud at the Spanish royal couple during their visit to Valencia. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**More than 200 people have died during a devastating flood in Valencia**
Angry flood survivors confronted King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia during their visit to the disaster-stricken town of Valencia on Sunday, expressing their outrage over the catastrophe.
The floods, caused by torrential rains last week, have claimed over 200 lives in Spain’s western Valencia region.
Accompanied by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and regional President Carlos Mazon, the royals visited Paiporta, one of the areas most severely impacted.
Residents reacted with hostility, throwing eggs and mud at the royals and officials, while some chanted “murderers,” “shame,” and “get out,” as reported by the Spanish news agency EFE. Security personnel attempted to protect the royals with umbrellas, and protesters also targeted the prime minister’s vehicle with stones.
Spanish media indicated that the anger among locals stemmed from a perceived lack of early warning and slow response following the disaster. “All we wanted was to be warned and we would have been saved,” one resident exclaimed, as quoted by Reuters.
King Felipe was confronted directly by upset residents during the visit. One man told the king, “It was known and nobody did anything to avoid it,” in an attempt to address the sovereign.
Despite the negative reception, the royal family sought to engage with the community, attempting to break through a police cordon to speak with residents. Footage circulating on social media shows the queen, her face and hands marked with mud, embracing a woman in a gesture of consolation.
After about thirty minutes, the royal family was escorted away by law enforcement, leading to the postponement of a planned visit to the town of Chiva.
Following the visit, the king shared a video on social media expressing his understanding of “the anger and frustration,” while calling on the public to extend “hope and their guarantee that the state in its entirety is present” for the victims.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
Angry flood survivors confronted King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia during their visit to the disaster-stricken town of Valencia on Sunday, expressing their outrage over the catastrophe.
The floods, caused by torrential rains last week, have claimed over 200 lives in Spain’s western Valencia region.
Accompanied by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and regional President Carlos Mazon, the royals visited Paiporta, one of the areas most severely impacted.
Residents reacted with hostility, throwing eggs and mud at the royals and officials, while some chanted “murderers,” “shame,” and “get out,” as reported by the Spanish news agency EFE. Security personnel attempted to protect the royals with umbrellas, and protesters also targeted the prime minister’s vehicle with stones.
Spanish media indicated that the anger among locals stemmed from a perceived lack of early warning and slow response following the disaster. “All we wanted was to be warned and we would have been saved,” one resident exclaimed, as quoted by Reuters.
King Felipe was confronted directly by upset residents during the visit. One man told the king, “It was known and nobody did anything to avoid it,” in an attempt to address the sovereign.
Despite the negative reception, the royal family sought to engage with the community, attempting to break through a police cordon to speak with residents. Footage circulating on social media shows the queen, her face and hands marked with mud, embracing a woman in a gesture of consolation.
After about thirty minutes, the royal family was escorted away by law enforcement, leading to the postponement of a planned visit to the town of Chiva.
Following the visit, the king shared a video on social media expressing his understanding of “the anger and frustration,” while calling on the public to extend “hope and their guarantee that the state in its entirety is present” for the victims.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
