Valencian society supports the victims and survivors of the damage of last October 29 in an emotional act of remembrance. L'Associació Victimes DANA 29 d'octubre, one of the majority groups of flood victims, has converted the Olympia Theater in Valencia into a space for the memory of their relatives, on the eve of the anniversary of their loss.
The group considers that, apart from the demonstration that will take place this Saturday, “they needed a place where we could express our emotions with a certain intimacy, now that it has been a year since the arrival of the rain.” “We want to express that, despite the mourning with which we still struggle, it comforts us that today we have been able to be united,” they express in a statement.
The majority victims' associations participated in the event, accompanied by a large number of family members and friends, and the Association of Victims of the 3 de Julio Metro (AVM3J), which “shares the pain with us.” The similarities in the political management of both tragedies and their subsequent days, the official speeches and the treatment of the affected groups have come to light constantly in the last twelve months. “It is clear to all that the prevention of the Generalitat government, years later, failed again, claiming the lives of too many innocent people,” the group maintains.
During the day, the names of each of the deceased and images of the days after the ravine were shown, with emotional testimonies from family members. Several relatives have recounted the anguish with which they searched for their loved ones and the “immense pain” with which they have lived these months until today, in which “the tears continue to weigh like lead”, as in the case of the partner of the Policeman who died in La Torre, Rubén Lima, or that of the relatives of Miguel and Sara Carpio, father and daughter who lost their lives in Benetússer.
“We could not celebrate an event like this without thanking the help that has been given to us. It was only fair to pay tribute to all the State security forces, as well as to the thousands of volunteers who worked incessantly for the reconstruction,” say the victims, who also remember the tributes made by Valencian artists and the cultural sector, such as Pau Alabajos, Miquel Gil, Eva Romero, Vicent Colonques and the Muixeranga de Algemesí, who has accompanied them in dozens of events of remembrance and demonstrations.
The event ended after two hours with the entire theater standing and a loud and long applause directed at a stage taken over by boots, brooms and buckets stained with mud, while volunteers and the presidents of the three victims' associations held a banner with the phrase in Valencian: “And now let's all raise our voices, for those who can no longer raise them.” At that moment, the public chanted 'Mazón resignation', the motto of the demonstration that this afternoon will tour the center of Valencia to demand the march of the president of the Generalitat for his management of the dana, while the song 'Lladres de sobretaula' ('Tabletop thieves'), created for the victims' associations, played.
This anniversary, the victims point out, will be remembered by the musicians who provided the song table thieves, performed by the best-known voices of contemporary combative music in Valencian: Panxo (ZOO), Pablo (La Raíz), Malifeta, Abril, Los Chikos del Maíz, Tito Pontet i Pxllt.
L'Associació Victimes DANA 29 d'octubre insists that its main demands continue to be present: “Truth, justice and reparation.” “We victims continue to need help, and it would be unfair if what happened on October 29, 2024 were forgotten. This afternoon starting at 6 p.m., both in Valencia and Alicante, will be the time to take our demands to the streets. We trust that the Valencian people will continue to accompany us in our fight,” they conclude.