ANTI-tourism protesters plan to bring the Balearic Islands to a standstill during the peak season for British holidaymakers.
Activists hope thousands will join the biggest demonstration yet in the Spanish tourism hotspot on Sunday, July 21 — just as many UK schools break up for summer and families head for the sunshine.
ReutersActivists take to the streets of Majorca’s capital Palma[/caption]
They blame the Spanish government for causing a housing and jobs crisis by sanctioning more hotels and holiday lets — and are calling on islanders from Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera to march in their thousands through the streets.
Organisers selected the date at a meeting called by “Menys Turisme, Mes Vida” — Less Tourism, More Life.
It was behind a protest on May 25 that saw 15,000 people storm through Majorca’s capital Palma, jeering at travellers as they sat at dinner.
Margalida Ramis, head of affiliated group GOB Mallorca, said: “We are in contact with groups on the other islands.
“We’re hoping those who supported the recent protests in Majorca and Ibiza will take part along with others like tourist industry workers.”
She said “tourist saturation” was responsible for “job and life insecurity,” a lack of housing and “environmental and ecological issues”.
Jaume Pujol, of Fridays for Future Mallorca, added: “We want to mobilise the older people of the island who have seen how it’s been destroyed.”
Organisers hope the demo will have a similar impact to the April 20 Canary Islands protest in Tenerife which around 80,000 people joined.
In Majorca, meanwhile, protesters vowed to “reclaim” the picturesque cove of Calo des Moro on June 16, claiming it is “full of Instagrammers who go just to take their picture”.
Leave a comment
