Hundreds protest after clashes at anti-mass tourism march in holiday spot | World | News
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Majorca to protest against alleged “heavy-handed” tactics by police at a major march against mass tourism. Large crowds formed outside government offices in Palma, the capital of the Spanish island popular with British holidaymakers, on Tuesday morning.
Officers had to control scuffles and angry shouts when they decided to close the protest’s endpoint, Ses Voltes.
Authorities said it was for safety reasons, but it meant thousands of marchers were unable to hear the reading of the final manifesto.
Clashes are believed to have broken out as tempers flared.
Demonstrators trying to gain access began shouting at officers and some protesters jumped over cordon fences that the police said were in place to prevent the possibility of a crowd crush.
A small group of the demonstrators also threw objects, mainly plastic bottles, while videos of the scenes show armed police arriving in full riot gear and chasing demonstrators through the city’s main square.
In their manifesto, organisers of the protest claimed “Majorca is at the limit”.
Campaign group Menys Turisme, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) added Majorca’s saturation ceiling “was exceeded years ago”.
Signs held up by protesters featured slogans like “save Majorca” and “tourists go home”.
Campaigners argue mass-tourism is contributing to issues such as unaffordable rents and overcrowding.
At the protest on Tuesday morning, an official from Menys Turisme, Més Vida said the group is not against tourism and understands its importance to Majorca.
Speaking to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, they added: “What we are opposed to is the fact that there are too many tourists who are eating into our vital resources.”
A cordon was set up around the government offices by the National Police and Guardia Civil for Tuesday’s demonstration.
The National Police has confirmed it is launching an internal enquiry into its policing at the protest on Sunday.
