Angry protesters in Barcelona used water pistols on Saturday to evict holidaymakers from restaurants.
Armed with water pistols, the protesters targeted patrons in the crowded bars along the popular Las Ramblas promenade.
The wet and tumultuous scenes were part of a larger demonstration against mass tourism, which brought together about 2,800 people under the slogan “Enough! Let’s put limits on tourism” and took to the streets.
“Tourists go home”
Protest posters carried English texts such as: “Dear tourist, balconying is fun!” or “Tourists go home.”
According to reports from MailOnline, protesters pointed their water pistols at foreigners dining on the terraces of popular tourist restaurants on Las Ramblas.
Fortunately, looking at the photos, they were probably just children’s toy guns with a very weak water jet, which probably didn’t cause any damage.
Sharply increased cost of living
That probably wasn’t the goal of the campaign either. The protest was meant to draw attention to the skyrocketing cost of living.
Many Barcelona residents complain that the interests of tourists are often at the expense of the local population. Although mass tourism brings in money, it also brings with it major social and infrastructural problems.
“Local businesses are forced to close to make way for establishments that do not meet the real needs of our neighborhood,” complains musician Issa Miralles. “Rent prices have risen so much that many can no longer afford their homes.”
These protests follow a series of similar actions that took place in the Canary Islands earlier this year.
Source: Krone
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