Angry mobs throw mud and shout insults at Spanish king during Flood Damage Tour

The visit caused protests, the crowd pelted the king with mud and shouted insults.

The streets of Paiporta, Spain, were ablaze with anger and frustration on Sunday as King Felipe VI arrived to survey the damage from unprecedented flash flooding that killed more than 200 people earlier in the week, according to reports. The Guardian.

As the king’s entourage tried to deal with the situation, a chaotic scene unfolded with the crowd hurling mud and objects and shouting abuse. Protesters chanted “Murderers!” and “Go away!” in response to the king’s presence.

With calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the head of the Valencia region, Carlos Mason, much of the anger appears to have been directed at elected leaders. Security guards used umbrellas to shield Sanchez and his group from the mud and debris as they quickly left the scene.

According to Guardian, Public anger was sparked as the flood death toll rose to 217. As the weather agency again issued a red alert on Sunday, predicting further heavy rain in the area, mayors of affected municipalities pleaded with officials to send help.

“We are very angry and we are devastated,” said Guillermo Lujan, the mayor of Aldaya. “Our city is in ruins. We need to start over and I am begging for help. Please help us.”

The town’s 33,000 residents were among many in the region battling the effects of the devastating floods, which are believed to be the deadliest in Spain’s modern history. The number of missing remains unknown.