VIDEO: Spain's cycling finale featuring 'Israeli' athletes cancelled by pro-Palestinian march

Madrid’s streets erupted in chaos on Sunday as pro-Palestinian demonstrators forced the cancellation of the final stage of the Vuelta a España, bringing to a head weeks of unrest over the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists witnessed protesters tearing down barriers along the city’s iconic Gran Vía, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as “Boycott Israel,” “It’s not a war, it’s a genocide,” and “No more deaths of innocent children.” Demonstrators swarmed the racecourse, prompting authorities to respond with police charges and tear gas.

Hundreds of protesters celebrated the stage’s cancellation before the riders arrived, chanting “Palestine wins this Vuelta.”

“It’s a way of making visible internationally that we are against the genocide in Gaza,” said Rosa Mostaza Rodriguez, a 54-year-old teacher participating in the protest.

Read more: Israel-Premier Tech cycling team strips name from uniforms after protests in Spain

The protests, aimed at the private Israel-Premier Tech team, had already disrupted earlier stages, causing some to be shortened and occasionally resulting in crashes. Concerns over rider safety and the integrity of the race mounted as demonstrations intensified.

Authorities had anticipated trouble for the finale, deploying 1,100 officers, the city’s largest security operation since the 2022 NATO summit. Despite these measures, demonstrators breached security along the route, which passed landmarks including the Prado Museum and Cibeles Square.

Hundreds of protesters lined the course, holding signs reading “Stop the Zionist genocide in Gaza” and “Israel = terrorism.” Many wore traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, waving flags and chanting slogans in front of police lines. Tense confrontations were reported in several locations.

“I am not against it, they are right, this world is a little bit crazy,” said Oskar Villamizar Dussan, a 53-year-old gardener from Colombia who had been watching the race.

Authorities also removed a small group of pro-'Israel' demonstrators outside Cibeles Square, who were met with shouts of “murderers” from the larger crowd.