Spain’s Vuelta cycling finale abandoned after pro-Palestine protest in Madrid

Spain’s most prestigious cycling race, La Vuelta, was brought to an abrupt halt in its final stage as thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters overwhelmed police and blocked the route.
The unprecedented cancellation came after three weeks of mounting demonstrations against the inclusion of the Israel-Premier Tech team.
Throughout the race, activists repeatedly disrupted stages, forcing cyclists off their bikes and raising safety concerns.
Despite deploying 1,500 police officers for the final leg, organisers were unable to secure the course.
The protests garnered significant attention, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez praising the public for “standing up for just causes”.
The race’s premature end and cancelled medal ceremony marked a victory for demonstrators, who viewed the event as a platform to voice opposition to Israel’s actions in Palestine.
This year’s La Vuelta will be remembered not for its sporting achievements, but for how a conflict thousands of kilometres away reshaped its 90-year history.

Al Jazeera’s Perry Wilton reports.

Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/
Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/
Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile

#Spain #LaVuelta #VueltaaEspana #Gaza #Palestine #GazaGenocide #FreePalestine #PalestineSolidarityProtests #GazaWar #WarOnGaza #StopTheGenocide #Israel #AlJazeeraEnglish

The question wasn’t whether the world’s best cyclists could finish Spain’s most prestigious race. It was whether the race could reach its own finish line. It didn’t. [Applause] In the end, police were overwhelmed by thousands of protesters standing in solidarity with Palestinians. These scenes were a culmination of a 3-w weekek long show of defiance. Outrage over the inclusion of the Israel premier tech team saw Spain’s Lava race hampered by constant demonstrations. During the team’s time trial, activists blocked the road and during stage 10, protests forced cyclists to come off their bikes completely. It was a risk to the athletes. The organizers said they could only do so much to stop. According to me, the only solution would be that the Israeli team realizes that being here puts in jeopardy the safety of all the other riders, but we cannot make this decision for them. The protests were on a stage so much in the public eye that the prime minister weighed in. Today, the Lava Espña, the tour of Spain, comes to an end. And we would like to express our recognition and absolute respect for the athletes, but also our admiration for the Spanish people, for standing up for a just cause such as Palestine. For the race’s final leg, 1,500 police were deployed to keep the roads clear. But it wasn’t enough. The race was abandoned completely, as was the medal ceremony. The protesters ultimately claiming the victory. We’re ordinary people. We need to be here saying no to genocide. It is genocide. No matter what the mayor says, he has no idea. A race which will go down in the event’s 90-year history for a war thousands of kilometers away. Perry Wilton, Al Jazzer. Don’t miss out and get the full picture. Subscribe to El Jazzer for reliable news and expert insights. Like, share, stay ahead.