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UK protests to Spain over Gibraltar border traffic delays Gibraltar border delays prompt UK protest to Spain
(about 3 hours later)
The UK government has protested to Spain about long delays at the border with Gibraltar. The UK government has raised "serious concerns" with Spain about long delays at the border with Gibraltar caused by a rise in vehicle searches.
The Gibraltar government had said Spain created "deliberate hold-ups" to traffic travelling to and from the British territory and Spain over the weekend and Friday. Gibraltar says Spain has created "deliberate" delays of up to six hours to vehicles travelling to and from the British territory since Friday.
Foreign Secretary William Hague called the Spanish Foreign Minister on Sunday to express "serious concerns". Foreign Secretary William Hague called the Spanish Foreign Minister on Sunday. Spain has yet to respond publicly.
It follows earlier accusations of Spanish incursions into British waters.It follows earlier accusations of Spanish incursions into British waters.
Spain disputes UK sovereignty over Gibraltar, a limestone outcrop on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713.Spain disputes UK sovereignty over Gibraltar, a limestone outcrop on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713.
Travel 'torture' 'Gridlock'
The Gibraltar government said Spain engineered delays to traffic travelling from Spain to the British territory on Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, Spanish customs officers stopped thousands of vehicles trying to leave the territory for Spain. On Sunday the delays switched to traffic trying to enter Gibraltar.
That was after nearly six hours of delays for those leaving Gibraltar on Saturday in temperatures of 30C (86F) as Spanish authorities searched "practically every vehicle". Gibraltar's government said Spain had engineered the delays to traffic.
On Sunday evening, the Foreign Office said that as well as the call between the two foreign ministers, the British ambassador in Madrid raised concerns with the Spanish deputy foreign minister, and Britain had "registered our protest" with the Spanish ambassador in London. There were delays of nearly six hours for those leaving Gibraltar on Saturday in temperatures of 30C (86F) as Spanish authorities searched "practically every vehicle".
A resident of Gibraltar, David Gibbins, told the BBC Saturday's delays had meant the territory - which has a population of under 30,000 - had been "gridlocked".
"People couldn't go to the beach, they couldn't go to their houses and they couldn't go to see their families," he said.
He said border guards had been "checking every bit of paperwork", which he said never normally happened.
Gareth Gingell, who is a member of the activist group Defenders of Gibraltar, told the BBC that on Sunday the Guardia Civil had been "only letting one car through about every 30 minutes".
"It's taking about four hours for people to get through," he said.
On Sunday evening, the Foreign Office said that as well as the call between the two foreign ministers, the British ambassador in Madrid had raised concerns with the Spanish deputy foreign minister, and Britain had "registered our protest" with the Spanish ambassador in London.
It said it would not speculate on any links to the recent disagreement between Spain and Gibraltar over the placing of concrete blocks to create an artificial reef in Gibraltar's territorial waters.It said it would not speculate on any links to the recent disagreement between Spain and Gibraltar over the placing of concrete blocks to create an artificial reef in Gibraltar's territorial waters.
"Our main concerns at the moment are restoring people's basic right to freedom of movement, and we want to work towards a speedy solution that will help to ease the very difficult situation and humanitarian issues at the border and enable a return to normal operations," said a spokesman."Our main concerns at the moment are restoring people's basic right to freedom of movement, and we want to work towards a speedy solution that will help to ease the very difficult situation and humanitarian issues at the border and enable a return to normal operations," said a spokesman.
Earlier, the government of Gibraltar said: "The Spanish Government has inflicted these unnecessary delays on the elderly, children and the infirm in up to 30 degrees of heat. Earlier, the government of Gibraltar said: "The Spanish government has inflicted these unnecessary delays on the elderly, children and the infirm in up to 30 degrees of heat.
"This torture has resulted in an ambulance being deployed to treat people with medical conditions. On Friday, for instance, a Spanish man had to be taken to hospital with chest pains.""This torture has resulted in an ambulance being deployed to treat people with medical conditions. On Friday, for instance, a Spanish man had to be taken to hospital with chest pains."
It said the delays had affected tourists and "thousands" of people who go in and out of Gibraltar every day to work.It said the delays had affected tourists and "thousands" of people who go in and out of Gibraltar every day to work.
'Forgotten by UK' 'Heavy-hand tactics'
Gibraltar's Deputy Chief Minister, Joseph Garcia, said: "Spain has again shown that she cannot resolve issues through normal diplomatic channels.Gibraltar's Deputy Chief Minister, Joseph Garcia, said: "Spain has again shown that she cannot resolve issues through normal diplomatic channels.
"Instead she merely resorts to heavy-hand tactics at the frontier. The behaviour of the Spanish authorities is unacceptable, un-European and illegal.""Instead she merely resorts to heavy-hand tactics at the frontier. The behaviour of the Spanish authorities is unacceptable, un-European and illegal."
Fellow government ministers John Cortes and Steven Linares distributed water on Saturday afternoon to motorists caught in the queues at the border, and the Royal Gibraltar Police called in 10 additional officers to help with traffic control.Fellow government ministers John Cortes and Steven Linares distributed water on Saturday afternoon to motorists caught in the queues at the border, and the Royal Gibraltar Police called in 10 additional officers to help with traffic control.
Gareth Gingell, who is a member of the activist group Defenders of Gibraltar, handed out water to people stuck in the queues at the border on Sunday. Earlier in the week, the Gibraltar government had commissioned a contractor to create an artificial reef by placing concrete blocks in the sea on Wednesday and Thursday.
He told the BBC the Guardia Civil was "only letting one car through about every 30 minutes". But the Foreign Office said Spanish Guardia Civil vessels had "attempted to disrupt the activities" when they unlawfully entered British Gibraltar territorial waters.
"It's taking about four hours for people to get through," he said.
Speaking before the Foreign Office's statement on Sunday evening, he said: "We've had to endure this kind of thing all yesterday and all the day before. I feel like we've been forgotten by the UK government."
The row follows a dispute earlier in the week that led the British government to say it would make a formal protest to the Spanish government.
The Gibraltar government had commissioned a contractor to create an artificial reef by placing concrete blocks into the sea on Wednesday and Thursday.
But the Foreign Office said Spanish Guardia Civil vessels "attempted to disrupt the activities" when they unlawfully entered British Gibraltar territorial waters.
The Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, Royal Gibraltar Police and Gibraltar Defence Police were later deployed to prevent the disruption.The Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, Royal Gibraltar Police and Gibraltar Defence Police were later deployed to prevent the disruption.
Spanish newspaper ABC reported that the Spanish government had made a formal complaint to the British about the work.Spanish newspaper ABC reported that the Spanish government had made a formal complaint to the British about the work.
The government is reported to have said that dropping several dozen spiked concrete blocks into the water could tear fishing nets, scare fish away and cause environmental damage.The government is reported to have said that dropping several dozen spiked concrete blocks into the water could tear fishing nets, scare fish away and cause environmental damage.
'Gridlocked'
A resident of Gibraltar, David Gibbins, told the BBC Saturday's delays meant the tiny British overseas territory - which has a population of less than 30,000 - was "gridlocked".
"It blocked the whole town," he said.
"People couldn't go to the beach, they couldn't go to their houses and they couldn't go to see their families."
He caught the tail-end of Saturday's queue to leave the territory.
He said border guards were "checking every bit of paperwork", which he said never normally happened.
Spain has yet to respond to the accusations it deliberately caused the delays.