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Thousands march for justice in Spain while bigwigs hold remembrance service for DANA victims
On the anniversary of Spain’s deadliest storm, thousands of people marched in Valencia and protests erupted in Barcelona as families of the DANA victims demand accountability and justice
Valencia ha acogido hoy el Homenaje de Estado en memoria de las víctimas de la DANA en el primer aniversario de la tragedia.
— La Moncloa (@desdelamoncloa) October 29, 2025
Un acto que ha congregado a unas 800 personas y que ha estado presidido por SSMM los Reyes, acompañados del presidente @sanchezcastejon. pic.twitter.com/MlXOIIzDCB
The rain fell softly on Valencia this Wednesday October 29, echoing the downpour of a year ago that changed everything. Two long columns of mourners, one from La Torre and the other from Albal, marched silently through the drizzle, their candles flickering in the wind as they made their way towards Benetússer. The march was meant to be a solemn tribute to the victims of the DANA storm that devastated Valencia this time last year, but when the two groups met in the Plaza de la Chapa, the silence was broken.
As the rain intensified, and with the planned speeches and performances cancelled due to the weather, chants erupted from the crowd: “Mazón resign,” “They are not dead, they were murdered,” and “Neither forget nor forgive.”
These referred to the widely held view that Valencia’s regional president, Carlos Mazón, is personally responsible, along with others of his administration, for many of the deaths in the flooding, which it is claimed could have been prevented with more timely alerts as to the scale of the tragedy.
The tribute soon turned into a protest. For many, it was no longer enough to mourn; they wanted justice. The scars left by the DANA, which claimed 229 lives in Valencia, plus eight more in other parts of Spain, and left tens of thousands homeless, remain raw.For survivors, the slow reconstruction, the unanswered questions and the ongoing judicial investigation have deepened their frustration.
In Barcelona, nearly 200 demonstrators gathered outside the headquarters of the Catalan People’s Party (PP) to honour the victims and denounce what they called the “criminal negligence” of Carlos Mazón.
They carried banners reading “Mazón, criminal” and “Justice for the 229,” chanting as police stood guard behind barricades. People formed human towers, as a symbol of unity and solidarity, before two protesters hurled paint at the PP building.
The protests underscored how the DANA tragedy has evolved from a natural disaster into a political and moral reckoning. What began as a storm has become a symbol of governmental failure, bureaucratic delay, and loss of trust in institutions meant to protect.
State funeral in Valencia
While anger filled the streets, inside Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences a more restrained ceremony took place. The state funeral, attended by King Felipe, Queen Letizia and President Pedro Sánchez, along with other dignitaries, brought together national and regional leaders to pay tribute to the victims. Yet even here, political tension was palpable.
The brief, cool exchange between Sánchez and Mazón at the entrance set the tone. The President, accompanied by parliamentary speakers and senior officials, greeted the regional president with a handshake marked by discomfort before turning his attention to the families of the victims inside.
During the solemn ceremony, three relatives spoke on behalf of those who had lost loved ones, their voices carrying through the hall like echoes of the storm itself.
Andrea Ferrari Canut, whose mother died in Valencia, opened the speeches. “We still feel the emptiness those days left behind,” she said. “The DANA storm changed the history of our towns forever. We walk forward with scars on our souls, but with resolve.”
Next came Naiara Chuliá Beitia, who lost her husband, Slim Regaieg, on his way home from work. “The hardest moment of my life was telling the children you wouldn’t be coming back,” she said, fighting back tears. “In my dreams, I saved you so many times, but every morning I woke up and another nightmare began.”
Finally, Virginia Ortiz Riquelme, whose cousin Juan Alejandro died in Letur, spoke words that drew the most applause.
“Floods are the natural phenomenon that causes the most deaths in Spain,” she said. “But this catastrophe was not caused by nature; it was caused by those who neglected their duty, knowing their inaction could cost lives.”
Her closing words resonated through the hall: “The power has always been ours, and I know that together we will achieve justice.”
Images: La Moncloa/Círculo Podemos México
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