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Anti-Tourism Protests In Spain: Locals Fire Water Pistols, Chant “Go Home”
It goes without saying that tourism can be controversial, and is a double-edged sword for regions that are popular with visitors. While tourism can do a lot to support local economies, over time it can also take away from the way of life for locals, and change economics. Along those lines, this past weekend we saw some major protests against tourists across Europe, in particular in Spain.
It goes without saying that tourism can be controversial, and is a double-edged sword for regions that are popular with visitors. While tourism can do a lot to support local economies, over time it can also take away from the way of life for locals, and change economics. Along those lines, this past weekend we saw some major protests against tourists across Europe, in particular in Spain.
Protestors demonstrate against mass tourism
On Sunday, June 15, 2025, residents in Spain and several other European countries held large scale protests against mass tourism, as residents are frustrated by increasing housing costs that are pushing out locals.
The biggest protests happened in Spain, in particular in Mallorca and Barcelona. This weekend’s event was the first coordinated effort by activists to protest over tourism across Europe. There were also protests in Lisbon, Portugal, and Venice, Italy, among other places. Thousands of protestors marched, held up signs, and sprayed tourists with water pistols.
