Did Pedro Sánchez incite pro-Palestine protesters to stop La Vuelta cycling race?

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is under fire from opposition politicians who claim he incited the protests that stopped the final lap of cycling race La Vuelta a Espana.

Last weekend, cyclists were stopped a mere 60 kilometres from the finish line because pro-Palestinian protesters knocked down barriers and occupied key sections of the route in central Madrid, including Gran Vía, one of the city's busiest streets.

The stage was ultimately cancelled due to safety concerns, with clashes breaking out between demonstrators and police. These left 22 officers injured and two people detained.

Although Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard was declared the overall winner, the traditional podium ceremony was scrapped, and the race’s organisers called the disruption “absolutely unacceptable.”

Appearing at an event organised by his Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) in Andalusia, the Spanish PM addressed both the cycling event and the broader political moment.

“Did you know that today the Vuelta a España finishes?” Sánchez said. “The Vuelta a España, our Vuelta, our cycling race. And let us express our absolute recognition and respect for the athletes, but also our admiration for the Spanish people who mobilise for just causes, like the Palestine cause.”

He then went on to say, “I feel proud of a country that, despite its diversity, comes together on a just cause like human rights. Long live the Spanish people.”

Critics and opposition politicians perceived this as encouragement and incitement, leading them to make statements that blamed Sánchez for the protests and painted him as directly responsible. 

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the conservative People’s Party (PP), said: “The president of the government encouraged in the morning a protest that, for days, had already shown signs of turning violent. That makes him responsible for the acts of violence that later took place.”

He also published an open letter accusing Sánchez of having “permitted” and “induced” the disruption of the race, adding: “The president of the government is proud of the behaviour of a few who, in order to show support for Gaza, have thrown barriers at the National Police.”

José Luis Martínez-Almeida, mayor of Madrid and a member of PP, was also vocally blaming Sánchez: “Today Madrid has been overwhelmed by violence, for which I make the president of the government directly responsible because of his irresponsible statements this morning inciting the demonstrators.”

Meanwhile, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Madrid region and also a member of PP, tweeted: “When the president of the nation cheers on the boycott against the Vuelta Ciclista, and praises those who are causing chaos in the streets, he becomes responsible for every clash that occurs.”

She also accused Sánchez of putting political opportunism above national unity and public safety and said his remarks “emboldened radicals” to act.

In reality, Sánchez neither called for protests nor endorsed any disruption of the Vuelta. 

His remarks were expressions of solidarity with citizens who engage in peaceful mobilisation for human rights, and he explicitly praised the athletes participating in the race, without mentioning blocking roads or targeting the event. In fact, the protests had already been building for days, with demonstrations taking place in earlier stages of the Vuelta and a visible police presence anticipating unrest.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Spanish left-wing also took issue with Sánchez’s speech. They accused him of hypocrisy by praising protesters in his speech while allowing police to repress them later. 

Gabriel Rufián, from the Catalan party ERC, said Sánchez “sent in the police to repress the same protesters he had applauded.” 

Podemos member Ione Belarra added that if Sánchez truly admired the demonstrations, he should have “withdrawn the massive police operation” deployed in Madrid. For the left, Sánchez wasn’t inciting protests, but rather failing to stand by them when it counted.