VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — A crowd of angry survivors of Spain’s floods tossed mud and shouted insults at Spain’s King Felipe VI and government officials when they made their first visit to one of the hardest hit towns on Sunday.
Government officials accompanied the monarch who tried to talk to locals while others shouted at him in Paiporta, an outskirt of Valencia city that has been devastated.
Police had to step in with officers on horseback to keep back the crowd of several dozens.
“Get out! Get out!” and “Killers!” rang out among other insults.
After being forced to seek protection from the mud, the king remained calm and made several efforts to speak to individual residents. One person appeared to have wept on his shoulder. He shook the hand of a man.
It was an unprecedented incident for a Royal House that takes great care to craft an image of a monarch who is liked by the nation.
Queen Letizia and regional Valencia President Carlo Mazón were also in the contingent.
Over 200 people have died from Tuesday’s floods and thousands have had their homes destroyed by the wall of water and mud. At least 60 of the dead were in Paiporta, an epicenter of suffering.
