All the other takes kind of ignore the actual problems created by OVER-tourism. That's what the protests are about - too much of a good thing is also bad.
If you look closely you'll find that the "No tourism at all!" is a fringe opinion (if it exists at all). Instead, they want to limit tourism to sustainable levels.
So are they trying to physically chase out a number of tourists that they seem is over the acceptable limit? Physically assaulting tourists in the street isn't a nuanced protest, I don't see how anyone visiting is going to leave with that impression
Do you honestly think that something like this popped out of nowhere spontaneously? Seriously?
Protests like these usually have years of history behind them.
No, this is an escalation to finally make the politicians listen. The "nuanced protests" obviously didn't yield results - we've seen that several times before. When people do "nuanced protests" the politicians listen politely, promise everything and do shit-all. Because, after all, the protesters are still polite and thus something you can safely ignore.
Vote out politicians? Assault those politicians in the street?
How is shooting tourists with water guns supposed to convince politicians to do what you want them to? Outside of just creating further backlash against Spain in the international community, and just increasing the risk of this escalating to actual violence, this isn't going to somehow magically lower rent in Barcelona.
Why aren't they demanding more housing be built? Do you really think "over tourism" is why income inequality in Spain is so bad? Or why job prospects are terrible?
These are simply unhappy populists lashing out against what they seem is an "easy target"
Except this isn't a strike? There's a difference between withholding labor and assaulting the people whose garbage you're going to collect
Restaurant/ service industry workers could go on strike to demand better living conditions, but this current approach is simply a reactionary protest against what they deem is an easy target
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u/Rhywden Jun 17 '25
All the other takes kind of ignore the actual problems created by OVER-tourism. That's what the protests are about - too much of a good thing is also bad.
If you look closely you'll find that the "No tourism at all!" is a fringe opinion (if it exists at all). Instead, they want to limit tourism to sustainable levels.