In Barcelona, an anti-tourist demonstration escalated into a confrontation involving holidaymakers and protesters armed with water pistols outside the renowned Sagrada Familia basilica. Video footage from the incident captures a crowd blocking the route of an open-top tour bus and squirting it with water while chanting "Tourists go home!" The protestors also placed a banner on the bus window stating "Turn off the tourist focus." This event marks the beginning of a series of planned anti-tourism protests anticipated across Spain as the peak summer tourist season approaches.
The protest was organised by the Assembly of Neighbourhoods for the Decrease in Tourism. According to social media reports, notably a post on X (formerly Twitter), 24 individuals were arrested following the confrontation. One protester, speaking to Reuters, articulated the group's stance, saying, "We are here because we are fed up that tourism is always on top of this economic model."
The Assembly has announced an even larger demonstration scheduled for 15 June. They intend this protest to "put an end to the tourist fire that is sweeping the planet, and to initiate once and for all the essential socio-economic transformation of the territories it exploits."
In addition to Barcelona, other Spanish tourist destinations are preparing for similar actions. Palma, the capital of Majorca, will host a protest on Thursday starting at Plaza Espana at 11.30am, with a march along the Avenues culminating at Parc de la Mar, as reported by The Sun. The neighbouring Balearic Islands of Ibiza and Menorca are also planning demonstrations, confirmed by the trade unions CCOO and UGT. These will be held under the slogan "Protect what has been conquered, win the future," as stated by the general secretaries Pedro Homar and José Luís García.
Moreover, activists in Tenerife have pledged to commence protests starting on 18 May.
The Express is reporting this series of events as a significant development in the growing resistance to mass tourism in key Spanish holiday destinations.
Source: Noah Wire Services