HORDES of anti-tourist protesters have taken over Mallorca’s beaches in the latest efforts to expel foreigners.
The photos showed families and other residents gathered under umbrellas covered by the slogan “Ocupem Les Nostres Platges,” which translates into English as: “We occupy our beaches.”
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Protesters flocked to Mallorca’s beaches over the weekend, in yet another demonstration of locals’ discontent with tourists and mass tourism.
They were seen huddled together in the coastal resort of Colonia De Sant Jordi, east of the island’s capital, Palma.
A group called Mallorca Platja Tour – Mallorca Beach Tour – had already campaigned online for local residents to “occupy” the island’s beaches.
The group wrote on X: “I call on residents to fill Mallorca’s beaches in protest against overcrowding.”
“We invite all residents who live near the beaches to come and restore our beaches and enjoy them as before.”
Mallorca Platja Tour described the protest as “a civic, peaceful and family response” to mass tourism, explaining that participants would “simply go swimming, to show that beaches belong to everyone, they are a public good and we will not resign ourselves”.
The group would be organizing a mobilization for mid-July.
Saturday’s protest appears to have been triggered by comments made by Manuela Canadas, spokeswoman for the far-right Vox party in the regional Balearic Islands. parliament.
She said in reference to the protest: “I understand the discontent, but we Mallorcans, who live directly or indirectly from tourism, cannot expect to go to the beach in July and August as we did years ago.”
Ms Canadas added: “There are other more attractive destinations and we could end up going hungry because there is a lack of jobs here.”
Locals were previously urged by anti-tourism protesters not to reveal Mallorca’s stunning beach spots to foreigners via social media.
Stickers were seen last month plastered at beach entrances with the phrase: “Don’t mark this beach, bitch!”
Tour company TUI has declared that the Balearic Islands have “reached maximum capacity” and urged tourists to look elsewhere when booking their next holiday.
Around 10,000 people took to the streets of Palma last weekend to demand limits on the number of visitors allowed.
Tourism chiefs said the protests were starting to have an impact and expressed they were concerned about the future of your business.
Anti-protests continue in other parts of Spain.
Large-scale demonstrations in the Canary Islands in April saw more than 50,000 people fill the streets of Tenerife to protest against tourism on the island, holding signs that read: “You like it, we suffer”.
Activists claim that mass tourism is causing housing shortages, major environmental damage and driving lower wages.
One resident told the Balearic Islands newspaper Ultima Hora: “Overcrowding affects residents first, making it more expensive and worsening our quality of life, but tourists are also harmed.
“For this reason, our campaign seeks to involve them in finding solutions to alleviate this problem.”
Some say locals have been forced to live in tents and cars because foreigners have forced them out of public housing.
The weekend’s beach protest occurred when a British stag party was arrested at the Balneario Illetas beach club, located between Palma and Magaluf, due to the group’s alleged role in a violent fight.
Shocking footage appeared to show security guards coming face to face with allegedly drunk tourists on the sand.
A waiter was reportedly hit in the head and two off-duty police officers injured before the Brits were taken to a Palma court in handcuffs – and released from custody just in time for the wedding.
Anti-tourism measures sweep critical spots
MAJORCA and Menorca are just some of the European hotspots implementing anti-tourism measures.
Many top holiday destinations across the continent are taking measures to prevent unwanted travelers from taking over their towns and cities.
Local residents feel they can no longer live in iconic destinations because they are overcrowded, unsafe and uncomfortable.
They say there are too many cars on the roads, traffic jams, overcrowded beaches, blocked access roads, ruined beauty spots and too many tourists flocking to the island, which is expecting record numbers this summer.
In April, thousands of people took to the streets in Tenerife to demand restrictions on tourists after telling Brits to “go home”.
Anti-tourist hordes filled a square in the capital brandishing banners, including some that said “You like it, we suffer” in English.
Protests also occurred at the same time on other popular Canary Islands, including Lanzarote and Gran Canaria.
The marches were organized under the motto “The Canary Islands have a limit”.
Hotel bosses in Benidorm have even admitted they are “very concerned” about growing anger among the island’s residents, but have branded holiday homes in Spain a “virus”.
More recently, the Committee on Tourism, Commerce, Employment, Culture and Sport reportedly approved an initiative to reintroduce a maximum limit for cruise ships in Palma, the capital of Mallorca.
Politicians are interested in implementing a new set of rules for cruise ships in terms of taxation, the environment or the use of less polluting fuels, to reduce the number of people arriving in the Balearics.
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