Barcelona has been rocked again by mass protests against excessive tourism, with hundreds of angry residents taking to the streets on June 15, using water cannons and smoke bombs to express their displeasure with tourists, writes A2 CNN. Under the slogan "Tourism steals our bread, our homes and our future," the protesters demanded a radical change in the city's economic model, which, according to them, is dominated by mass and destructive tourism.
Footage from the city showed activists spraying holidaymakers with water pistols, holding up banners such as "Tourism is killing Barcelona" and "One more tourist, one less resident", and putting up protest signs in hotels and hostels. Some even blocked the entrances to hostels to prevent tourists from leaving, while others filled water pistols at public fountains. Meanwhile, riot police were deployed to maintain calm and control the march.
The protest was organized by the “Assembly of Neighborhoods for the Reduction of Tourism,” which is leading a wave of protests across Spain. The group’s spokesman, Daniel Pardo Rivacoba, declared that the tourism industry is “incompatible with life” and called for an “immediate reduction of tourism.” He also added that workers in the sector face deplorable working conditions and wages, while residents suffer from a housing crisis and rising living costs.
In addition to Barcelona, similar protests have taken place in other tourist cities such as Ibiza, Donostia-San Sebastián, Palma, Granada and the Pyrenees. The movement has also spread beyond Spain's borders, to cities in Portugal and Italy.
Another flashpoint is the planned expansion of Barcelona-El Prat airport, which has been strongly opposed by activists from the “Zeroport” campaign. Meanwhile, spokeswoman Ariadna Cotèn stressed that the protests are not aimed at tourists personally, but at the political class that favors economic interests over the needs of local communities. However, the message was not always well received – many protesters shouted in English “Go home!” at the tourists.
These protests follow similar waves in 2024 and earlier this year in April, when more than 40 cities in Spain were swept by demonstrations against tourist overcrowding. In May, thousands of people took to the streets of the Canary Islands under the slogan "The Canary Islands are not for sale - they are needed and protected."
The phenomenon of overtourism has become a serious problem for many popular destinations around the world. It leads to overcrowding, pollution, heavy traffic, housing shortages and rising living costs for local residents. In this context, more and more communities are seeking new policies to limit the negative impact of tourism and protect their quality of life. (A2 Televizion)
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