Basque Government Faces Backlash After Police Use Force on Gaza Flotilla at Loiu Airport

On 26 May, the Basque police force (Ertzaintza) charged people receiving members of the Global Sumud flotilla, a Gaza‑solidarity mission, at Loiu airport. Four activists were detained, some with minor injuries, while seven officers were injured and placed on sick leave. Basque security councilor Bingen Zupiria apologised, saying “We are sorry for what happened”, and condemned what he called genocide in Gaza. He later framed the episode as a public‑order matter, invoking “the extreme left”, former ETA members, and the need for society to “repair and heal” ("tenemos algo que reparar y curar"). Zupiria acknowledged that the police response was inappropriate and blamed broader social attitudes toward the Ertzaintza, while reaffirming that the incident should not be justified.

The incident sparked national and international criticism, with images of the police charge circulating worldwide and prompting calls for investigations into the use of force and the handling of political protests in the Basque Country.