Solidarity protests with Gaza force cancellation of final stage of Vuelta a España

Eduardo González Protests in solidarity with the Gaza Strip have forced the organizers of the Vuelta a España to cancel the final stage in central Madrid. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his "absolute recognition and respect for the athletes," but also his "admiration for a people like the Spanish who mobilize for just causes like Palestine." Israel, the PP, and Vox have accused the Prime Minister of having provoked these incidents. Protesters invaded several points along the route through central Madrid, and riot police carried out several charges to prevent the throwing of barriers and bottles at the finish line, located on Paseo del Prado, near Atocha. The cyclists were forced to stop the ride at the entrance to Madrid, and although they were able to resume it temporarily, they ultimately had to stop a few meters later. For his part, Sánchez expressed his “absolute recognition and respect for the athletes,” but also his “admiration for a people like the Spanish who mobilize for just causes like Palestine” and criticized the PP for having said “nothing” about “the barbarity in Gaza.” Likewise, the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, wrote on the social media platform Bluesky that “Spanish society does not tolerate the normalization of genocide in Gaza at sporting and cultural events.” “Our full support for the mobilizations for the Palestinian people during the Vuelta a España,” she added. "A few days ago, the Spanish Prime Minister lamented not having an atomic bomb to stop Israel. Today, he encouraged the protesters to take to the streets," wrote Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on the social media platform X. "The pro-Palestinian mob listened to the inciting messages and attacked the Vuelta," he continued. "The sporting event that had always been a source of pride for Spain has been canceled. Sánchez and his government: shame on Spain!" he concluded. In a similar tone, the president of the People’s Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, accused the government of having "allowed and induced the non-completion of La Vuelta." "The Prime Minister must be proud of the behavior of a few who, in order to demonstrate their support for Gaza, have thrown barriers at the National Police, without guaranteeing the safety of the organizing staff, runners, and journalists. Not me," he wrote in a statement shared on the social network X, referring to Sánchez's words. The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, accused Pedro Sánchez of "throwing fire" and stated that he should "call for coexistence, understanding, or at least not incite it further." For his part, the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, also accused the president of the government of having contributed to the violence that had "overcome" sports. In a similar tone, the spokesperson for Vox in Madrid City Council, Javier Ortega Smith, accused Sánchez of "encouraging" the protesters with "inflammatory statements" and described what happened as "regrettable."

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