In Bilbao, Spain, approximately two thousand protesters gathered to express their disapproval of the Basque police’s handling of activists returning from a Gaza aid flotilla. The activists had been detained in Israel and were met with a tense situation upon their arrival at Bilbao airport.

The incident at the airport involved a relative of one of the six activists attempting to approach them, only to be forcefully stopped by a police officer. This led to a scuffle, as captured by state broadcaster TVE, showing police using batons and pinning individuals to the ground amid jeers from onlookers. Activists had reportedly blocked the exit for other passengers, prompting police intervention.

The Basque regional police have announced an investigation to assess whether their officers adhered to proper procedures during the incident. Meanwhile, the Spanish government has been contacted for comment, though no response has been reported.

The protest march on Sunday saw pro-Palestinian demonstrators carrying banners that criticized the Basque police and accused the local government of complicity with Zionism. The activists, who were released from Israeli custody, alleged mistreatment while detained, including claims of abuse and sexual assault. Israel’s prison service has denied these allegations, and Reuters has not independently verified the claims.

Spain, along with other Western governments, expressed anger after Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a video mocking the activists while they were detained. Francesca Albanese, a UN expert on Palestinian territories, called for accountability for the events at Bilbao airport, and Amnesty International has demanded a thorough investigation.

The Israeli Embassy in Spain has requested an explanation from the Spanish government regarding the airport incident.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.