The propalestinic demonstrations in the Vuelta herald a new era of political protests at sporting events.
Photo: Imago/Diego Radames
“Victory for Palestine” – this call echoed loudly by Madrid. After thousands of participants in the demonstration against the Gaza War had broken the barriers and occupied the streets of the Spanish capital, the last stage of Vuelta a España was canceled 57 kilometers before the finish on Sunday. Driving the circuit by downtown Madrid was impossible. The demolition of the race was then also celebrated, 100,000 participants reported the Spanish Interior Ministry in the demonstration against Israeli military operation.
Neue away
The media department of the Vuelta had recorded an increase in accreditation requests in the previous days. “Maybe cycling fever suddenly hit the media,” said an employee with a wink. But of course less about sport, but much more about the accompanying protests was reported. This 80th edition of the Vuelta is likely to go into history as the beginning of a new era, which is shaped by the struggle for attention for political goals using the popularity of sporting events.
Political manifestations on the edge of the Vuelta had already existed, including those that led to the demolition of individual stages. In 1978, for example, Basque separatists blocked a half -stage, whereupon the last section in the target city of San Sebastian and the subsequent time trial were completely canceled. Patrick Lefevere, long -time boss of racing teams by Soudal Quick Step and in 1978 as a driver at the Vuelta, recently described this in his column in the newspaper “Het Nieuwsblad”: “When we drove through a Basque village, wooden barricades stopped us. We were only allowed to pass after the Spanish and the French national champion had covered their jerseys with national colors. They did that too. “
In 1988 the route of the team time trip was paved with tears – sprinkled by separatists of the Canary Islands, which in this way wanted to attack the colonial power from the mainland. Three Vuelta stages took place in the Canary Islands. Catalan activists wanted to strike two years ago. They had planned to empty an oil barrel on the route, which could be prevented by the police.
Demolition of the race
The organizers are therefore used to using their tour as a vehicle for political protests. The current protests are still a new quality. They were not an isolated event, but extended almost over the entire course of the Vuelta. The team time trial started on the fifth stage when the drivers were stopped by Israel Premier Tech. The great political displeasure also sparked the participation of this racing team financed from Israel. Protest actions followed a total of seven other stages, in Bilbao the mass of the demonstrators and the breaking of the barriers on the eleventh stage led to the first termination of the race.
In the capital Madrid, however, the protests reached historical dimensions. After the end of the final stage, the traditional winning ceremony was canceled. The racing drivers stowed their bikes on the roof luggage carriers of the accompanying vehicles and disappeared into the team hotels. At least a spontaneous winning ceremony was held in the parking lot in front of one of these hotels – with cool boxes as a podium. The professionals and their supervisors even integrated the Vuelta sponsorship panels into the free ceremony. In addition to overall winner Jonas Vingegaard, Matthew Riccitello was also honored as the best young driver. The American, who drives for Israel Premier Tech, even stripped a piece of clothing on which the lettering “Israel” was still to be seen. During the Vuelta, the racing team only had the country name from all vehicles and later from the racing clothing.
Wide alliance
It was of course also due to the cruelty of the war in Gaza that the expression of political trouble on the edge of the tour of the Spain on the outskirts of the tour of the Spain. However, Izquierda Unida’s entire left -wing parties spectrum and the ruling Social Democrats and Podemos had mobilized to protests. Former Minister of Podemos also took part in the demonstration in Madrid. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressly emphasized his pride in the protests, while the conservative camp condemned it, sometimes branded as a terrorist act.
Cycling is also right in the middle of the political arguments of this world. And because the crises increase, the protests are likely to escalate. The call from old master Lefevere seemed somewhat helpless to guarantee the athletes the right to exercise their sport. More police on the route does not necessarily help how Sunday evening in Madrid showed. More political expertise, justice and peace policy that deserves this name could contribute to calming down. Otherwise, the media attention is threatened to become the hostage of political activism.