Thousands protest in Valencia against authorities’ response to floods

Thousands of people gathered in Valencia, Spain, this Saturday (9), in a large protest against the response of regional authorities to the recent floods that devastated the region, causing more than 220 deaths. Organized by social and civic groups, the demonstration aimed at the resignation of the president of the regional government, Carlos Mazón, with shouts of “Assassins!” and “Mazón, resign!” Some protesters carried banners with messages such as “You killed us!” and “Our hands are dirty with mud, yours with blood,” Reuters reported.

The protests highlighted discontent with the authorities’ slow response. Residents accuse Mazón of issuing the warning too late, just at 8 pm on October 29, when the water was already beginning to invade nearby cities and villages. “We want to show our indignation and anger at the mismanagement of this disaster that affected so many people,” declared Anna Oliver, president of the cultural organization Acció Cultural del País Valencià, one of around 30 entities that coordinated the demonstration, according to Euronews.

Tensions with the police and criticism of government coordination

The demonstration, which began in front of city hall and continued to the regional government building, had moments of tension. According to Reuters, some protesters threw stones at the building and threw objects at the police, who responded with batons to disperse the crowd. At the scene, some protesters left mud-stained boots and spread dirt on the walls of the government building as a sign of protest against Mazón’s management.

Carlos Mazón defended himself against the accusations, stating that he would have issued warnings earlier if the official water monitoring body had informed him of the seriousness of the situation. He declared that now is the time to “clean the streets, help people and rebuild”, adding that the magnitude of the crisis was “unpredictable”.

However, critics dispute Mazón’s claims about the supposed lack of warning. According to Reuters, the national meteorological service, AEMET, raised the alert level for heavy rain to red at 7:36 am on October 29, and some cities and local institutions, such as the University of Valencia, took precautions on the 28th, canceling activities and directing employees to stay at home.

Volunteers and political pressure for more efficient action

Meanwhile, thousands of volunteers arrived in the most affected areas to help with cleaning work and support residents. However, the authorities’ response, which only mobilized police and military reinforcements days later, was widely criticized as ineffective. “It took days to mobilize reinforcements,” commented one resident, criticizing the regional government’s delay in requesting help from the central government, run by the socialists in Madrid.

The reaction of residents and the presence of civil organizations on the streets reflect the growing discontent with the Mazón administration and its explanations. “Now more than ever, we need leaders who respond quickly to crises like this,” said Oliver, summing up the general sentiment among protesters.