Angry crowd confront Spanish king during visit region devastated by floods

A crowd of angry survivors of nan devasting floods successful Spain's eastbound region of Valencia tossed mud and shouted insults astatine King Felipe VI on Sunday.

"Get out! Get out!" and "Killers" nan crowd shouted among different insults arsenic nan monarch, accompanied by Queen Letizia and different authorities officials, tried to talk to locals successful Paiporta, an outskirt of Valencia metropolis that has been devastated.

Bodyguards opened umbrellas to protect nan royals and officials arsenic nan crowd of respective twelve launched mud their way.

King Felipe VI of Spain is heckled by angry residents during his sojourn to Paiporta, successful nan region of Valencia, eastbound Spain, connected November 3, 2024, successful nan aftermath of devastating deadly floods. MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP via Getty Images

Police had to measurement successful pinch immoderate officers connected horseback to support backmost nan crowd. After being forced to activity protection, nan king remained calm and made respective efforts to speak to individual residents. One personification appeared to person wept connected his shoulder. He shook nan manus of a man.

The queen was seen speaking to women pinch mini glops of mud connected her hands and arms.

Queen Letizia of Spain talks pinch a personification arsenic angry residents heckled during nan Spanish royal couple's sojourn to Paiporta, successful nan region of Valencia, eastbound Spain, connected November 3, 2024, successful nan aftermath of devastating deadly floods. MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP via Getty Images

"We person mislaid everything!" personification shouted to nan royals.

Spain's worst floods successful decades person near full neighborhoods covered successful mud and strewn pinch mangled cars and debris. More than 200 group person died since Tuesday's floods and galore much are missing. At slightest 60 of nan dormant were successful Paiporta, an epicenter of suffering.

The indignation of nan guidance of Spain's worst earthy disaster successful surviving representation started aft nan first daze wore off. More anger has been fueled by nan inability of officials to respond quickly to nan aftermath.

Rescue workers walk a destroyed half buried car aft floods successful Paiporta adjacent Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. Hugo Torres / AP

Most of nan cleanup of nan layers and layers of mud and debris that person invaded countless homes has been done by residents and thousands of volunteers.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was scheduled to travel nan king connected nan visit. But it is not clear if Sánchez was location astatine nan infinitesimal nan contingent was pelted pinch mud.

King Felipe VI of Spain talks pinch a personification arsenic angry residents heckle him during his sojourn to Paiporta, successful nan region of Valencia, eastbound Spain, connected November 3, 2024, successful nan aftermath of devastating deadly floods. MANAURE QUINTERO/AFP via Getty Images

Felipe insisted connected trying to speech pinch group arsenic he tried to proceed his visit. He said to respective people, patting 2 young men connected their backs and sharing a speedy embrace, pinch mud stains connected his achromatic raincoat.

According to a journalist for Spanish broadcaster RTVE adjacent Felipe, 1 female wept and told him she didn't person nutrient and diapers while different personification said "Don't wantonness us."

But aft astir half an hr of tension, nan monarchs sewage successful charismatic cars and near pinch a mounted constabulary escort.

On Saturday, Sánchez ordered 10,000 much troops, constabulary officers and civilian guards to nan area.

In:
• Spain
• Flood