'Tourists go home': Thousands in Barcelona protest, spray tourists with water guns

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Barcelona, Spain, spraying tourists with water guns and chanting for them to "go home".

The demonstration against mass tourism saw locals marching through popular tourist areas over the Jul. 6 weekend, reported the BBC.

They also held signs with anti-tourism slogans like "Barcelona is not for sale" and "Go home".

BBC footage of the demonstration showed people spritzing bemused-looking tourists in diners with water guns, many of whom eventually packed up their things and left.

Police figures report that around 2,800 people participated in the protest, according to Time.

What's happening?

The demonstration was organised by a group of over 100 local organisations, led by the Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turístic  (Neighborhood Assembly for Tourism Degrowth), reported CNN.

According to the Assembly, high levels of tourism increase prices and put pressure on public services, while profits are unfairly distributed and increase social inequality.

Locals have also decried the fact that many parts of the city now cater almost exclusively to tourists and not locals, according to the BBC.

In addition, they feel that the high number of tourist apartments in Barcelona — particularly at the city centre — is pushing up rental prices, pricing out locals.

Tackling overtourism

The Assembly has published 13 proposals to reduce the number of visitors and transition the city to a new model of tourism.

Measures include closing cruise ship terminals, tighter regulation of tourist accommodation, and ending public spending on tourism promotion.

In response, Barcelona's mayor Jaume Collboni reiterated on Jul. 6 a series of previously-announced measures to crack down on mass tourism.

This includes a decision to increase its tourist tax from €3.25 (S$4.75) to €4 (S$5.85) per night — a change that would kick in in October 2024.

The city also previously pledged to ban apartment rentals to tourists by 2028, in a move that seeks to drive down housing costs for locals and tackle its housing crisis.

This would help to make housing more affordable for long-term residents, said Collboni, who noted that rents have increased 68 per cent in the past decade.

Top image from BBC footage