Yahoo News Holidaymakers told ‘go home’ as protestors take to the beach in Majorca
More protests took place in the Spanish holiday island of Majorca on Sunday, June 16 with around 300 locals occupying a beach. The demonstration was organised by the group Mallorca Platja Tour, with people arriving from 8am local time.
Today's protest was at Calo del Moro, a small scenic cove on the south coast of the island. Two weeks ago the group organised their first protest at Sa Rapita beach, also on the south side of the island.
It follows protests held on the island in recent weeks against mass-tourism, and widespread demonstrations across Spanish holiday destinations including the Canary Islands and Ibiza. Locals have spoken out about the impact of mass-tourism on the environment, rising house prices and overcrowding.
READ MORE: Spain warning to holidaymakers as ‘black flag’ beaches named in holiday hotspots
This latest demonstration was a stance against overcrowding which makes it difficult for residents to visit the beach, according to local newspaper Majorca Daily Bulletin. The organisers said: "We want to spend a day at the beach with people from here. To do so we had to come at eight in the morning, otherwise it would have been impossible."
On X, Mallorca Platja Tour’s bio reads: “We will fill the beach with Majorcans” along with the hashtag “OcupemLesNostresPlatges” which roughly translates as “we occupy our beaches”. Posting details of the protest, the group said: “For one day, Calo des Moro will belong to Majorcans”.
It was set to end at 1pm, but Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that police were called after people started shouting “tourists go home”. The Guardia Civil were called and asked banners to be removed. It is believed that the police thought that the protest took place without permission, as required by the Government.
In recent months concerns have been growing across Spanish holiday destinations in the Balearic and Canary Islands over the impact of mass tourism. Protesters have called for more sustainable tourism models to be implemented.
President of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, has previously said that “limits” needed to be set. Posting on X, she said: “I am proud to be the president of a tourism community. Precisely because we love tourism and believe in our economic model, the time has come to set limits.”
