The incidents at Bilbao Airport have triggered a political crisis in the Basque Country. Several members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, who were expected to be received at the Loiu arrivals area, encountered police intervention, resulting in four arrests. They face charges of serious disobedience, resistance, and assaulting law enforcement officers.

The activists were returning after being detained by Israel while participating in the flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Reports indicate their return to Spain followed several days of detention, deportation, and a stopover in Turkey. Some participants have reported mistreatment, lack of rest, and degrading conditions during their detention.

In Loiu, the police intervention occurred amidst significant anticipation. Family members, supporters, and media awaited the flotilla members in the terminal. The Ertzaintza had deployed a unit to manage the reception and maintain traffic flow at the airport.

The Department of Security maintains that the arrival coincided with the movement of fans for the European rugby finals. According to a statement released after the incidents, some individuals in the gathering obstructed the movement of people leaving the airport and confronted officers, who used their standard batons.

The version from the flotilla and its support groups differs. They denounce a disproportionate response against individuals who had just returned from detention in Israel and against those who came to greet them. The circulated images have intensified the controversy over the use of force within the terminal.

The official explanation presents a point of contention. The initial Security statement claimed the arrival of the Global Sumud Flotilla members “had not been communicated to the Ertzaintza”. However, Bingen Zupiria stated on Sunday that the reception arrangements were “agreed upon” and that prior discussions had taken place with airport security officials and representatives of the gathered individuals.

This discrepancy leaves it unclear what information the police operation actually possessed before the activists' arrival. It also raises questions as to whether the issue was a lack of prior communication, as suggested in the first statement, or a breach of an existing agreement, as the minister later defended.

Zupiria acknowledged that the operation failed to guarantee either the reception of the activists or the normal functioning of the arrivals area. “Given the images, it is evident that we achieved neither,” he stated. The minister lamented “the events, the charges, and the situations that occurred” and affirmed that what happened “should not have happened”.

According to Zupiria, the situation escalated due to “provocations” and “shoving”. Nevertheless, he assumed “in the first person” the political responsibility for what happened and defended the need to analyze whether the officers' actions adhered to current internal guidelines.

The Department of Security has announced that the Ertzaintza's Internal Affairs Directorate has launched an investigation to verify if the officers' actions complied with current instructions.

The facts have also been reported to the Basque Police Control and Transparency Commission. Furthermore, Zupiria has requested an urgent appearance before the Basque Parliament's Commission on Institutions, Public Governance, and Security to provide explanations.

The minister and the heads of the Department of Security have expressed regret over the events and pledged to clarify the incidents and any potential responsibilities arising from the police action.

The Ertzaintza arrested four individuals during the incidents. According to Security, they are accused of alleged crimes of serious disobedience, resistance, and assaulting law enforcement officers.

Three of the arrested individuals were later released after police proceedings concluded. They will be required to appear before judicial authority when summoned.

The case now awaits the internal investigation announced by Security and any potential judicial proceedings related to the arrests.

Political reactions have been divided between the position of the Basque Government, which has lamented the events but also mentioned provocations, and the criticism from EH Bildu, Sumar, and Podemos Euskadi, who have condemned the police action.

EH Bildu has described the intervention as unjustifiable and demanded urgent explanations. The coalition has denounced that individuals, who they claim were returning from detention by Israel after participating in the flotilla, were beaten and arrested in Euskal Herria.

Sumar and Podemos Euskadi have also criticized the Ertzaintza's actions and expressed their support for the members of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

The flotilla's organization has accused the Ertzaintza of using violence against the activists and has called for an independent investigation. Amnesty International has also demanded a thorough investigation and accountability for the potential excessive use of force.

On the opposing side, the police union Sipe has defended the officers' actions and criticized the evaluation of the operation based solely on videos circulated on social media.