Demonstrators turned water guns against unsuspecting tourists in the cities of Barcelona and on the Spanish island of Mallorca on Sunday as protesters marched to demand a rethink of an economic model they believe is propelling a housing crunch and deleting the character of their hometowns.
The marches were part of the first organized effort by activists worried with the ills of too much tourism across southern Europe’s top destinations.
While several thousands rallied in Mallorca in the biggest gathering of the day, hundreds more converged in other Spanish cities, as well as in Venice, Italy, and Portugal’s capital, Lisbon.
With a chuckle after spritzing a couple seated at an outdoor café, Andreu Martínez said in Barcelona: “The squirt guns are to bother the tourists a bit. Barcelona has been handed to the tourists. This is a fight to give Barcelona back to its residents.”
42-year-old administrative assistant, Martinez, is one of a burgeoning number of residents who are convinced that tourism has gone beyong boundary in the city of 1.7 million people.
In 2024, Barcelona hosted 15.5 million visitors eager to catch a view of Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia basilica and the Las Ramblas promenade.
Martínez revealed, his rent has heightened more than 30% as more apartments in his neighborhood are rented to tourists for short-term stays.
He said there is a knock-on effect of traditional stores being substituted for businesses catering to tourists, like souvenir shops, burger joints and “bubble tea” spots.
He said: “Our lives, as lifelong residents of Barcelona, are coming to an end. We are being pushed out systematically.”
Around 5,000 people converged in Palma, the capital of Mallorca, with some carrying water guns as well and chanting “Everywhere you look, all you see are tourists.”
The tourists who were targeted by water blasts laughed it off. The Balearic island is a favorite for British and German sun-seekers. Housing costs have risen as homes are diverted to the short-term rental market.
Protesters in Barcelona blew whistles and lifted up homemade signs saying “One more tourist, one less resident.”
They stuck stickers saying “Citizen Self-Defense,” in Catalan, and “Tourist Go Home,” in English, with a sketch of a water gun on the doors of hotels and hostels.
Photo: A protester with a water gun takes part in a protest against overtourism in Barcelona, Spain on Sunday. Pau Venteo/AP
