Tons of overripe tomatoes become projectiles in Spain's ‘Tomatina’ food fight

BUÑOL, Spain (AP) — Thousands of people from around the world seeking a uniquely messy thrill spent one wild hour flinging bushels of overripe tomatoes at each other during Spain’s “Tomatina” celebration Wednesday.

The mother of all food fights painted a packed central street in the eastern town of Buñol deep red as revelers squished, smashed and hurled 120 tons of the overripe fruit. Tarps covered building fronts as an estimated 20,000 people let loose amid screams and laughter.

Every article of clothing and pretty much every inch of bare skin and hair ended up covered in a pulpy mush, with many wearing white shirts that quickly were stained pink. Thumping music gave the event the vibe of a rave. Organizers wearing green shirts slowly opened a path for trucks loaded with the tomatoes to bring in the ammunition.

Buñol, with a population of around 10,000, was one of the towns affected by devastating floods in eastern Spain beginning Oct. 29, 2024. That is why this year’s slogan is “Tomaterapia,” or “Tomato Therapy” in English.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the tomato tossing that party lore says began in 1945 for local children. Since then “Tomatina” has grown to an eye-catching event that now draws a significant international crowd and only has been skipped twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid the collective abandon, a left-wing political party backed an initiative by local residents to fly Palestinian flags and a banner against Israel's military campaign in Gaza during this year’s “Tomatina.”

The only guideline during the free-for-all is to squash each tomato before throwing to reduce its impact. Even so, some participants opt to wear protective goggles and earplugs.

For those worried about the waste, organizers say the tomatoes are grown specifically for the “Tomatina” and not edible anyway. Organizers say that the tomatoes used in the party don’t meet the quality control standards for human consumption. They say if there were not used in the “Tomatina” they would be thrown away. This year’s supply hails from a town over five hours away.

A cannon shot told participants the battle is over. As their adrenaline drained, revelers used communal showers to clean up while workers hosed the crimson slurry off the streets.

Joseph Wilson contributed to this report from Barcelona, Spain.

Revelers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Revelers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

A couple kisses over a puddle of tomatoes during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Revelers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Revelers hold a Palestinian flag as they throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media that the U.S. Coast Guard had boarded the Motor Tanker Veronica early Thursday. She said the ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”

U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”

Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.

The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.

The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, it was partially filled with crude.

The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.

According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Galileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for moving cargoes of illicit Russian oil.

As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”

However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear that they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.

Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)