Some 3,500 march in Valencia on DANA's second anniversary, demanding accountability

The march in Valencia

Thousands of people marched through central Valencia on Saturday, 31 October, to mark two years since the DANA floods of 29 October 2024. The Government Delegation put attendance at 3,500, slightly above earlier marches of this kind but far below the 50,000 counted at the march held in 2025. The march began at 18.00 at the Plaza de la Virgen, where participants formed a ring around an empty space to represent "those who are no longer here" before moving toward the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Many attendees dressed in black, carried the names of the victims and walked under umbrellas in the rain. The slogan "Consell dimissió" replaced the earlier "Mazón a prisión" on the front banner.

2025 march50,000

2026-10-313,500

2025 march

50000 people

2026-10-31

3500 people

Data from the article text

Death toll and the banner

The floods killed 234 people, the figure now used in the criminal case. The front banner still read 233 because organisers had not updated it in time. On Friday, 30 October, the investigating judge in Catarroja raised the official count to 234 by including a resident of Paiporta who died after an infected wound. Rosa Álvarez, president of the Asociación Víctimas Mortales DANA 29-O, told El Mundo that the toll would still increase. Mourning for the rail accident at Urda in Toledo also overshadowed the anniversary, according to La Razón.

Demands for accountability

The associations demanded justice, truth and accountability, and said the basic demands of two years ago had not changed. Eldiario.es reported that the victims called for the resignation of the Valencian regional government led by Juanfran Pérez Llorca, naming consellers José Antonio Rovira and Susana Camarero, who held posts during the floods. A manifesto accused the administration of obstructing the investigation, the parliamentary inquiries, the court and the press for two years. It also said the government had rewarded its members by placing them at the top of electoral lists, and El Mundo reported that Camarero leads the Senate list for Valencia. Mariló Gradolí, of the Associació de Víctimes de la DANA, rejected any attempt to end the protests.

“After two years of taking to the streets peacefully, the violent will not drive us off the streets.”

Mazón and his seat in parliament

Carlos Mazón remains the central target of the march. Álvarez said he resigned as Generalitat president but still holds seat 98 in parliament and keeps privileged jurisdiction, adding that he performs no function. The manifesto stated that justice cannot be done while Mazón does not appear before the court in Catarroja. Álvarez accused him of continuing to mock the families, and said his conduct showed he lacks legitimacy.

“He is still in politics, still in seat 98 and still enjoys privileged jurisdiction.”

“He is an illegitimate figure, and his actions prove it.”

Police deployment and the Blocus call

An exceptional police deployment covered central Valencia because of a call for disturbances by Blocus, following disorder in Barcelona in late October. Shops on Calle Colón began protecting their windows from Friday, 30 October, and announced they would stay closed on Saturday afternoon. Mayor María José Catalá had urged residents to avoid the city centre on Friday afternoon. Álvarez accused her of trying to discourage attendance and of neglecting public safety, calling the move "another indecency from the PP".