The Controversial Concrete Block: A Diplomatic Dispute between Gibraltar and Spain

barcelona - The theft of a concrete block from British waters in 2013 by a far-right politician has escalated tensions between Gibraltar and Spain, impacting post-Brexit relations.

It's not just a concrete block. This block, part of an artificial reef off the coast of Gibraltar, has become a focal point in the growing tensions between Gibraltar and Spain this week. It threatens to sour the ties between Madrid and London at a critical juncture for the post-Brexit status of 'the Rock', the nickname for the British semi-enclave.

The stolen concrete block was displayed as a trophy at the Vox headquarters in Madrid. Extreme-right groups in Spain claim Gibraltar should be Spanish, but Gibraltar residents identify as British and reject the Spanish nationalist claim.

Over ten years after the theft, the Gibraltar Premier Fabian Picardo is suing Madrid for its return, stating, 'That block is currently at the entrance of the Vox headquarters. We are going to get it back, it belongs to us.' The dispute resurfaces at a crucial point in UK-Spain relations post-Brexit, with unresolved issues like border controls and airport management at Gibraltar.