Bilbao police clash with Gaza flotilla activists
Six members of the Global Sumud Flotilla returned to Spain via Turkey and arrived at Bilbao’s Loiu airport on Saturday. Basque regional police (Ertzaintza) intervened, using batons and charging the crowd of supporters who had gathered in the arrivals hall. Four people were arrested on charges of serious disobedience, resistance and assault on officers.
The incident sparked protests of about 2,000 people in Bilbao demanding an investigation into the police’s use of force. The Basque security minister Bingen Zupiria said the activists’ “provocations” triggered the response, while the police launched an internal inquiry to assess compliance with procedures. International actors, including a UN expert and Amnesty International, called for an independent investigation, and Israel’s embassy demanded explanations from the Spanish government.
Activists and the Global Sumud Flotilla also accused the Ertzaintza of mirroring “the brutal tactics” used by Israeli security forces during their detention in Israel, where they claim they suffered beatings, sexual assault and other abuses. Separate receptions for other flotilla members in Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona proceeded without incident, but the Bilbao episode has become a focal point of domestic political debate and diplomatic friction.