Protest march against housing shortage
Mallorcans vent their frustration over mass tourism
25.05.2024, 22:08
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Dutch, British, Germans and many more are flocking to Mallorca. They find accommodation in abundance. The local population, on the other hand, is increasingly left empty-handed. But now they are making their voices heard. 10,000 people are marching through Palma and making it clear: Our island is not for sale.
Thousands of people protested against mass tourism on Mallorca. Under the slogan “Let’s say basta!” people gathered in the evening in the center of the island’s capital Palma. The police spoke of 10,000 demonstrators. The number of participants far exceeded expectations, wrote the newspaper “Diario de Mallorca”. The people came from all parts of the island, it said.
Another slogan of the protest was “Mallorca is not for sale!” The rally was called by the organization “Banc de Temps de Sencelles”, which blames the ever-increasing number of visitors and vacation homes for the housing shortage on Mallorca and for the “destruction” of the Spanish Mediterranean island.
The demonstrators, including many families with children, schoolchildren and students as well as pensioners, chanted slogans such as “Those who love Mallorca don’t destroy it” as they marched along the Passeig del Born promenade. There were also many posters with slogans such as “If they deny us a roof, they deny us a future”. Trade unions, environmental groups and various citizens’ initiatives joined the protest march.
Deadly misfortune in the minds
The rally was inspired by the restaurant collapse on Thursday evening in Ballermann. Four people died in the accident, including two young women from Germany. Residents of Playa de Palma, which is mainly visited by German tourists, are convinced that many of the buildings in the area are not suitable for mass tourism.
Tourism is essential for the island’s economy. The industry accounts for 45 percent of Mallorca’s economic output. But there is now hardly anyone who questions the need to limit the number of visitors.