Protest in Spain condemns treatment of flotilla activists

Around two thousand protesters took to the streets of the Spanish city of Bilbao this Sunday (24) to condemn the treatment given by Basque police to activists from a Gaza aid flotilla on their return from detention in Israel.

When a relative of one of the six returning activists tried to approach them at Bilbao airport on Saturday (23), a police officer forcefully stopped him, leading to fights between the two sides, according to footage from state broadcaster TVE.

The footage showed police beating people with batons and pinning others to the ground, while being ridiculed by onlookers.

Before that, the activists appeared to have blocked other passengers from leaving and the police tried to remove them.

The Basque regional police force said in a statement on Sunday (24) that it had launched an investigation to determine whether officers complied with procedures.

Reuters has contacted the Spanish government for comment.

In the march this Sunday (24), pro-Palestine protesters carried banners criticizing the Basque police force and accusing the local government of being an accomplice to Zionism.

The activists were released from Israeli custody after being detained on a flotilla attempting to bring aid to Gaza.

Organizers alleged on Friday (22) that the activists were subjected to abuse during Israeli detention, with several being hospitalized with injuries and at least 15 reporting sexual assaults, including rape.

Israel's prison service denied the allegations, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the activists' claims.

Source: CNN