Israel mocks police charges against Basque activists of the flotilla

BarcelonaThe arrival in Bilbao of the Basque members of the Global Summud Flotilla from Gaza has had a bitter outcome. Four people —three of whom were newly arrived activists— have been arrested for serious disobedience, resistance, and assaulting an authority agent during disturbances at Loui Airport this Saturday morning.

The incident began when a relative of the six Basque members waiting at the airport approached them, and a member of the Ertzaintza, the Basque police, blocked his way. The confrontations resulted in police charges: as can be seen in various images shared on social media, Ertzaintza agents used batons against the newly arrived activists. The authorities justified their actions by stating that passengers were being prevented from leaving and claiming that the people waiting for the activists in the airport lobby had assaulted the security cordon.

The Israeli government has taken advantage of the opportunity to launch a jab at the Spanish executive, with whom it maintains a tense relationship. "We demand an explanation from the Spanish Government about its treatment of the Flotilla anarchists," the Israeli Foreign Ministry's account wrote on X with a sarcastic tone, following the international controversy triggered by the arrest of the activists in international waters and by the taunts of the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben. The publication was accompanied by a video showing Ertzaintza agents using batons against the Basque activists upon their arrival at the airport.

According to the Basque Department of Security, the Ertzaintza's Internal Affairs Directorate has launched an investigation to verify whether the agents' actions comply with current instructions. However, many entities have issued messages of protest, starting with the Global Sumud Flotilla, which criticized that "what should have been a moment of relief and family consolidation after such a distressing experience was interrupted by even more brutality".

EH Bildu and Podemos have also condemned the police action. "The violence exercised against an action that symbolizes solidarity and the defense of human rights has no justification," claimed the Basque party. The arrival of the Basque activists was initially planned for yesterday, but they delayed their trip due to the hospitalization of two of the members for injuries sustained after being captured by Israeli forces while en route to Gaza.