The Spanish royals visited the country’s region worst-hit by fatal floods – but have been greeted with angry locals throwing mud and shouting abuse.
The King of Spain hit back at the furious locals in Valencia during their visit to the region after horrendous floods engulfed the area and claimed the lives of more than 200 people.
Survivors of the disaster were seen hurling mud while shouting “murderers” at King Felipe and Queen Letizia. The monarchs continued to walk through the mud-filled streets of Paiporta, a town on the outskirts of Valencia which has seen one of the highest death tolls.
Three British citizens have lost their lives to the devastating weather conditions out of 217 people so far.
During the royal visit, crowds managed to pass security guards and target the King and Queen with dirt as Letizia could be seen with mud speckled across her face. One of the bodyguards escorting the couple had a cut on his forehead from an object launched at the family. The angry locals swarmed so close to King Felipe that he was able to respond.
“If you want, I won’t come and I’ll stay in Madrid,” he said in an 11-word retort after one Valencian loudly shouted at him.
Officers on horses tried to keep the crowd away from the couple as police stepped in to diffuse the situation.
Despite this, the King and Queen remained determined to speak to individual residents with the help of bodyguards using umbrellas to protect them from the mud.
The royal duo remained calm whereas the local officials including Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez exited the situation.
One 23-year-old supermarket worker who has had their life turned upside down from the disastrous flooding, Jose Ribelles, spoke to the Times: “What do you expect? For us to tell him sweet nothings?
“They wanted to kill us. The first thing you have to do is warn people when a dam is about to be overwhelmed and broken.
“You can’t warn people when they are already drowning.”
Ribelles said he had seen several dead bodies at the supermarket where he worked, explaining how 12 of his colleagues had died due to flooding in the garage.
His friend added how the monarch’s visit “doesn’t help us at all”.
Francisco Javier Molina said: “He should come here and get rid of the mud and the dead that are in garages. And then he’ll be one of us.”
The King and Queen left the scene after an hour, postponing their next visit to nearby town Chiva, in fear the same would be repeated.
