Spanish police clash with Gaza flotilla supporters (VIDEO)
The pro-Palestinian activists have called for an independent investigation into the incident
Four people were arrested at Spain’s Bilbao Airport after police clashed with supporters of the Global Sumud Flotilla returning from detention in Israel on Saturday.
The mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. It departed from Türkiye earlier this month carrying around 400 activists from about 40 countries before being intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters on May 18. The participants were later deported.
According to local media reports, the incident happened shortly after 2 PM local time on Saturday, as six members of the Basque delegation posed for journalists after arriving at the airport. A confrontation broke out after a supporter tried to approach the activists and was stopped by an officer from the Basque regional police. The altercation quickly escalated into clashes inside the terminal, with footage showing officers charging at activists and supporters with batons.
Organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident.
“Our companions have been attacked by the police. They were beaten and thrown to the ground. Police officers pinned them down with their knees, including one companion who had a broken shoulder blade,” activist Diana Zomeno told reporters.
“All this was done to people who have spent four days suffering constant torture, assaults, and violence,” she added, referring to the treatment the activists allegedly suffered while in Israeli custody.
The incident sparked political backlash, with Podemos party leader Ione Belarra, leader of Spain’s left-wing Podemos party, has descried the confrontation as “intolerable,” while the leftist political coalition Sumar condemned what it called “police repression” against the activists. Sumar said it was unacceptable that people allegedly “subjected to violence” in Israeli detention were met in the Basque Country with police brutality, identity checks, and arrests.
The Basque Security Department defended the police response, claiming that some people gathered at the airport obstructed the normal flow of passengers and provoked the clash.
15 thoughts on “Spanish police clash with Gaza flotilla supporters (VIDEO)”
Think about it: “Our companions have been attacked by the police. That speaks volumes.
On one hand organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident. But at the same time “Our companions have been attacked by the police.
According to local media reports, the incident happened shortly after 2 PM local time on Saturday, as six members of the Basque delegation posed for journalists after arriving at the airport. Meanwhile organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident.
On one hand four people were arrested at Spain’s Bilbao Airport after police clashed with supporters of the Global Sumud Flotilla returning from detention in Israel on Saturday. But at the same time the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave.
Basically four people were arrested at Spain’s Bilbao Airport after police clashed with supporters of the Global Sumud Flotilla returning from detention in Israel on Saturday. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
The fact that organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident really puts things into perspective.
So the bottom line is the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. Wonder how this will land.
Think about it: the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. That speaks volumes.
On one hand according to local media reports, the incident happened shortly after 2 PM local time on Saturday, as six members of the Basque delegation posed for journalists after arriving at the airport. But at the same time organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident.
Reading that the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave — hard to argue with the logic there.
Think about it: “Our companions have been attacked by the police. That speaks volumes.
On one hand organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident. But at the same time “Our companions have been attacked by the police.
Bilbao Airport is in a tough spot here, curious how they navigate it.
According to local media reports, the incident happened shortly after 2 PM local time on Saturday, as six members of the Basque delegation posed for journalists after arriving at the airport. Meanwhile organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident.
On one hand four people were arrested at Spain’s Bilbao Airport after police clashed with supporters of the Global Sumud Flotilla returning from detention in Israel on Saturday. But at the same time the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave.
Still waiting to hear what Ione Belarra actually plans to do about it.
The bigger issue here is “Our companions have been attacked by the police. That changes the calculation.
Basically four people were arrested at Spain’s Bilbao Airport after police clashed with supporters of the Global Sumud Flotilla returning from detention in Israel on Saturday. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
The fact that organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident really puts things into perspective.
Bilbao Airport has been pushing this agenda for a while now.
So the bottom line is the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. Wonder how this will land.
If “Our companions have been attacked by the police, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
Think about it: the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. That speaks volumes.
On one hand according to local media reports, the incident happened shortly after 2 PM local time on Saturday, as six members of the Basque delegation posed for journalists after arriving at the airport. But at the same time organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla expressed “deep indignation,” condemning “police brutality” and calling for an independent international investigation into the incident.
Reading that the mission was the latest in a series of Gaza-bound maritime initiatives organized by pro-Palestinian aid workers seeking to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave — hard to argue with the logic there.