Barcelona residents rally against mass tourism, demand affordable housing

Nearly three thousand people protested in Barcelona against mass tourism. Spaniards demand affordable housing in the Catalan capital and blame mass tourism for the lack of it and the high prices of local properties. They say no to the influx of visitors from around the world, which affects residents' daily lives.

Civic organizations were responsible for organizing the street protests in Barcelona that took place on Saturday, 6 July. Demonstrators demanded lower housing prices in central Barcelona and greater availability for ordinary citizens.

This is confirmed by the slogans that appeared on banners during the protest. "Return the city to its residents!", "End the chaos!" and "Dignified life in Barcelona!" were just some of them.

The demonstration is a protest against local authorities, whom Barcelona residents blame for the mass increase in tourism in the city. And this also has its downsides.

The protesters' demands include primarily the limitation of issuing permits for the operation of new hotels and private lodging and reducing the number of cruise ships docking in the Catalan capital.

During the protest, there were also a few incidents. A group of protesters passing through the bustling city used water pistols, spraying tourists sitting in restaurant gardens.

In 2023 alone, the city of 1.6 million people Barcelona was visited by over 12 million tourists. Demonstrators emphasize that while such a level of vacationers boosts the country's economy, it leads to social conflicts. In recent weeks, similar protests have been organized in, among other places, Malaga, Cadiz, and Seville.