Fury as vandal sprays 'Gibraltar Spanish' message on car in outrageous incident

Gibraltar is an Overseas British Territory (Image: Getty)

An attack by vandals on a Gibraltar registered car parked in Spain has provoked a furious social media backlash. The incident took place over the weekend in El Puerto de Santa Maria near Cadiz.

Vandals sprayed the car with yellow paint, writing "Gibraltar, Spanish". They also smashed the windows of the vehicle. The owners of the car reportedly had attended a sporting event in Cadiz earlier on.

The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation, who broke the original story, wrote on their X social media page: "GBC understands this was an isolated incident."

The attack, however, provoked a storm of online anger, with social media users quick to give their take on the incident.

One wrote: "THIS WAY THEY WILL NEVER CONVINCE THEM TO HAND OVER THAT ROCK TO SPAIN."

While another simply said: "Never EVER fall to Spanish sovereignty!"

A third commented: "Only an idiot would voluntarily become Spanish."

And a fourth noted: "Have visited the Rock many times. Fabulous place, fabulous people. British for as long as the people wish to be."

Spain has long claimed sovereignty over the Overseas British Territory, although Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain part of the UK in two referenda.

Madrid sees the peninsula as an integral part of Spanish territory, which should be under their control.

The Spanish government views Gibraltar as an illegal British colony, a relic of its imperial past.

A statement on the webpage of Spain's Foreign Ministry says: "The continued de facto occupation by the British does not meet the requirements of international law for the acquisition of sovereignty.

"That is why Spain has always stressed that the occupation of the isthmus is illegal and contrary to international law and, therefore, has always demanded its unconditional return.

"Spain does not recognise the occupation of the isthmus or the fence as a border."