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'Go home': People in Barcelona shoot tourists with water pistols

Shkruar nga Anabel

9 Korrik 2024

'Go home': People in Barcelona shoot tourists with water pistols
Photo: Lorena Sopêna/Europa Press/AP

Protesters in Barcelona sprayed visitors with water as part of a demonstration against mass tourism.

"Tourists, go home" and "Barcelona is not for sale" were some of the sentences heard among them.

'Go home': People in Barcelona shoot tourists with water pistols
Photo: Lorena Sopêna/Europa Press/AP

The demonstration was organized by a group of more than 100 local organizations, led by Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turístic, a group that aims to reduce the number of tourists in the region.

'Go home': People in Barcelona shoot tourists with water pistols
Photo: Lorena Sopêna/Europa Press/AP

According to official figures, almost 26 million visitors stayed one night in the Barcelona region in 2023, spending 12.75 billion euros. However, civil society says these visitors drive up prices and put pressure on public services, while profits from the tourism industry are unfairly distributed and increase social inequality.

These complaints are common to many tourist areas around the world, which have experienced record numbers of visitors recently.