Daniel Gonzalez / EPA / EFE
More than 100,000 pro-Palestinian protesters invaded Madrid, forcing the organizers to cancel the last stage of the return to Spain, which was held in Madrid, said the Spanish government. João Almeida won 2nd place.
“There were more than 100. Cancel the 21st stage of the return to Spain on bicyclewhich ended in Madrid this Monday.
The Spanish capital was invaded by pro-Palestinian protestersin a protest in which 22 police were injured with objects and topple from the protective stalls of the sports venue.
The stage, which would arrive at Cibeles Square, was interrupted 56 kilometers from the goal Due to the invasion of the streets by solidary protesters with the Palestinian cause, denouncing Israel’s “genocide” in the Gaza Strip and manifesting themselves against the participation of Israel-premier Tech in the race.
Although the security device in the Spanish capital, consisting of 1,100 agents and 400 civil guards, was the largest ever in a sporting event and the largest since the NATO summit in 2022, It was not possible to wage the protesters.
The Danish Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), Vuelta champion, as well as the second classified, the Portuguese João Almeida (UAE Emirates), in the best result of their career in large laps – in a Improvised podium built with refrigerators.
The Spanish government and the organization of the test suggested Israelite team that would withdraw from Vuelta, But it refused to consider that it was going to open a “dangerous precedent.”
The International Cyclist Union (UCI), which in 2021 baniu Russian teams And ‘withdrew’ the flag of the cyclists of that nationality, condemned the incidents without making any decision.
Vuelta was thus marked by constant changes to the route, a canceled step, another without winner, and another with a makeshift goal, culminating in today’s incidents.
Political tension is aggravated
The successful wave of political contestation, with conservative deputy Alberto Feijóo accusing Pedro Sánchez’s government of “encouraging disorders.”
This is because the Spanish government considered, according to, that pro-Palestinian mobilizations are a “Example of dignity”.
Sánchez also defended the police device that was activated for the occasion. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, also congratulated the state’s security forces and bodies for the “work done” in a “Extremely complex situation”.
Yesterday I really saw the image of a society committed to peace in the world and saw the image of absolutely professional state security forces and bodies, which are the envy of any democratic state, ”he said.
