Recent months have seen a rise in anti-tourism sentiment in certain areas of Spain, where tourists are encountering more hostility than hospitality. Graffiti expressing anti-tourism sentiments adorns buildings, and mass protests with tens of thousands of participants have taken place this year against the negative impacts of excessive tourism.
In Barcelona, over the weekend, local residents expressed their frustrations over housing shortages, overcrowding, and the high cost of living in a unique way – by taking to the streets armed with water guns and targeting outdoor diners with sprays of water. Approximately 2,800 people participated in the demonstration, although some organizers claim the actual number was higher. Protesters carried signs bearing messages like “tourists go home” and “you are not welcome,” while playfully soaking restaurant patrons.
“Spraying someone with water is not a violent act,” stated Daniel Pardo Rivacoba, one of the protest organizers. “While it may not be the nicest gesture, the daily struggles faced by the local population are much more severe.”
