Police detained four people at Bilbao airport in northern Spain on Saturday following clashes that broke out after activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla returned home, officials said.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred as supporters gathered in the arrivals hall to welcome six campaigners as they arrived on a flight from Turkey after having been detained by Israeli forces.<\/p>\n
When a relative of one of the activists tried to approach them, a police officer forcefully prevented him from doing so, leading to scuffles between both sides, public broadcaster TVE reported.<\/p>\n
Images broadcast by the station showed police striking people with batons at the airport and pinning others to the ground while being jeered by onlookers.<\/p>\n
Four people were arrested for serious disobedience, resisting arrest and assaulting law enforcement officers, the Basque regional police force, the Ertzaintza, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“Following what happened at the airport, the Ertzaintza internal affairs division has launched an investigation to determine whether the officers’ conduct complied with procedures,” it added.<\/p>\n
Two of those arrested were activists who had just arrived from Turkey, TVE reported.<\/p>\n
Amnesty International condemned what it described as the “excessive use of force” by Basque police officers at the airport and called for “effective accountability” over the incident,<\/p>\n
“The images published show no legitimate cause for the use of force,” it added in a statement.<\/p>\n
“It is very serious that batons were repeatedly used against people who had already been knocked down and were on the ground.”<\/p>\n
Hundreds of activists from countries around the world were detained in Israel after they were intercepted at sea on Monday while attempting to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory.<\/p>\n
The group included 44 Spanish nationals, according to Spain’s foreign ministry.<\/p>\n
Around 20 other activists from the flotilla landed at Barcelona airport on Saturday, where they were welcomed by supporters, including Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun.<\/p>\n
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