Tourists stranded after separatist protests cause travel chaos in Barcelona airport
Record ID:
1436876
Tourists stranded after separatist protests cause travel chaos in Barcelona airport
- Title: Tourists stranded after separatist protests cause travel chaos in Barcelona airport
- Date: 15th October 2019
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GROUP OF TOURISTS SLEEPING ON FLOOR OF AIRPORT TERMINAL TOURIST LAYING ON THE FLOOR LOOKING AT BOARDING PASS TOURIST SLEEPING ON FLOOR (SOUNDBITE) (French) TOURIST FROM RENNES, FRANCE, ESTELLE, 45, SAYING: "It was very impressive, because we saw a mass of policemen and there was a lot of noise and screams and, above all, the amount of demonstrators on the highway. I had never seen anything like that. I understand the movement because it is a part of Spain, defending a cause seems legitimate and I will not leave with a bad impression of Barcelona because we have to defend democracy." (SOUNDBITE) (French) TOURIST FROM RENNES, FRANCE, ANNE SOPHIE, 32, SAYING: "Yes, I was a little scared last night, when we walked from terminal two to terminal one, we used unusual roads, we had to climb and enter the highway. The most impressive part was when we arrived at the police fence and we could not enter the airport and the riot police did not help at all. It was quite violent." VARIOUS OF WOMAN SITTING ON CHAIR SLEEPING NEXT TO HER LUGGAGE WOMAN SITTING ON CHAIR SLEEPING AND ANOTHER WOMAN LAYING ON THE FLOOR ON TOP OF CARDBOARD READING A BOOK VARIOUS OF FRENCH TOURIST LUCILE LAYING ON THE GROUND ON TOP OF CARDBOARD LUCILE'S FEET LUCILE SITTING UP (SOUNDBITE) (French) TOURIST FROM NICE, FRANCE, LUCILE, 64, PENSIONER, SAYING: "The airport was closed, nobody could enter or leave, so I had to spend the night here, it was very difficult to be able to charge the phone, go to the bathroom, eat, drink water. There was nothing in the vending machines. The night was horrible and I spent it in the company of that lady and that man, who is also sick and needs insulin, and you can imagine what a bad night we had. I am completely tired and exhausted. I hope to have a flight tonight at twenty-five past eight." PASSENGERS LOOKING AT DEPARTURE BOARD DEPARTURE BOARD SHOWING CANCELLED FLIGHTS POLICE LOOKING ON AS PASSENGERS PUSH TROLLEYS WITH LUGGAGE VARIOUS OF POLICE AT TERMINAL PASSENGERS WITH THEIR LUGGAGE AMERICAN AIRLINES SIGN AT CHECK-IN DESK (SOUNDBITE) (English) RETIRED TOURISTS FROM PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES, REBECCA AND RALPH SHANNON, SAYING: RALPH: "They said there were protests and at check-in we found out a little more about the protests." REBECCA: "She (check-in officer) just said that two-years ago there was division and that last night they handed out the sentences and so all the flights were cancelled." VARIOUS OF POLICE IN VANS PARKED OUTSIDE TERMINAL VARIOUS OF CLEANER CLEANING WINDOW OF AIRPORT TERMINAL BARCELONA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 14, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STRANDED TOURISTS CARRYING THEIR LUGGAGE TO REACH HIGHWAY LEADING TO AIRPORT VARIOUS OF STRANDED TOURISTS WALKING ON HIGHWAY TOWARDS AIRPORT
- Embargoed: 29th October 2019 12:45
- Keywords: tourists in Barcelona airport starnded tourists airport protest Catalonia Spain sentence
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001B17KB47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tourists were stranded at Barcelona's airport on Tuesday (October 15) after over 100 flights were cancelled a day earlier due to massive protests at El Prat airport, triggered by a Supreme Court decision to convict nine Catalan separatist leaders to jail terms of nine to 13 years over their role in a banned independence bid in 2017.
Travellers struggled to reach the airport on Monday (October 14) as access roads were blocked by protests and many of those who either missed their flights or had flights cancelled were forced to sleep at the terminal building.
Passengers described chaotic scenes as thousands of protesters clashed with police outside the terminal building.
The Supreme Court decision triggered protests throughout the region.
(Production: Marco Trujillo, Luis Felipe Fernandez, Catherine Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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