Tens of Thousands Protest in Valencia Over Deadly Floods and Authorities’ Response
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Valencia on Saturday evening to protest the handling of recent deadly floods, demanding the resignation of regional leader Carlos Mazón.
As protesters took to the streets, they chanted, “We are stained with mud, you are stained with blood,” expressing their outrage over the flooding that left more than 200 people dead and 80 others still missing. The floods, caused by torrential rain in October, devastated Valencia and surrounding provinces.
Protesters have accused local authorities of issuing flood warnings too late, worsening the impact of the disaster. As the demonstration unfolded, clashes with police erupted. Images from the scene showed Valencia’s City Hall covered in mud, and Reuters reported that protesters threw chairs and other objects.
Valencia’s mayor, María José Catalá, condemned the violence on social media, sharing images of broken windows and a video showing a fire being started. She stated, “Vandalism is not the solution,” and emphasized that the city had also been affected by the floods.
One of the protest organizers, Anna Oliver, told Reuters, “We want to show our indignation and anger over the poor management of this disaster which has affected so many people.”
The protests have been fueled by frustration over the slow and inadequate response to the disaster. Last week, during a visit to the town of Paiporta—one of the hardest-hit areas—Spain’s King and Queen were pelted with mud and other objects by angry protesters. Similarly, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was evacuated after objects were thrown at him during his visit to the region.
The floods have left thousands homeless, with streets still covered in mud and debris in many areas.
Carlos Mazón, leader of the conservative Popular Party, has defended his handling of the crisis, stating that his officials did not receive sufficient warnings from the central government and that the scale of the disaster was unforeseen. In Spain, regional governments are responsible for managing disaster responses, although they can request additional resources from the central government in Madrid.
Although Spain’s weather agency issued storm warnings on October 25, local authorities in Valencia did not send alerts to residents’ mobile phones until hours after the floods had already begun. The local emergency coordinator has since admitted she was unaware of the system used to send phone alerts.
Reports from local media suggest that as the flooding started, Mazón was having lunch with a journalist and did not attend an emergency coordination meeting until 7:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT). However, government sources later told El País that this was “irrelevant,” as Mazón was continuously updated on the situation.
The flooding was caused by a “Dana phenomenon,” a weather pattern that occurs when warm, moist air meets cold air, creating unstable conditions. Scientists believe that climate change played a role in intensifying the floods.
