POLICE in Mallorca have laid the blame for crowd trouble at Sunday evening’s huge anti-tourism demonstration at the feet of around 350 to 400 ‘well-organised’ protesters who they claim deliberately sought out confrontation and attacked tourists.
According to the Policia Nacional, around 25,000 protesters took to the streets of Palma under the banner ‘Mallorca al limit’ (‘Mallorca at its limit’), to rally against what they perceive as the growing issue of overtourism in the Balearic Islands.
But the demonstration was marred by clashes between police and attendees, with at least a dozen people injured, including five who were taken away by ambulance.
The march was largely peaceful until officers blocked access to Ses Voltes, the gardens beneath Palma Cathedral where organisers had permission to read their closing manifesto.
Police say they had warned organisers beforehand that the enclosed space could only accommodate around 1,000 people and had offered to relocate the finale to a larger area – an offer organisers declined citing technical issues with speaker cabling.
Tensions then escalated when the crowd tried to enter regardless.
“There was a group of between 350 and 400 demonstrators who were perfectly organised and looking for trouble from the beginning,” a police spokesperson said.
“In the end, we were forced to charge and intervene because they had assaulted tourists and a kiosk owner and were throwing stones, sticks and bottles at our officers.”
Officers responded to the violence by firing rubber bullets and carrying out baton charges to disperse the crowd, although organisers, including anti-tourist group Menys Turisme, Mes Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), have accused police of using excessive force.
Four officers were injured during the clashes, including one who suffered a broken finger.
“The overall tone of the demonstration was peaceful,” police said.
“It was only at the end, when people knew they could not all enter Ses Voltes for safety reasons, that the violent individuals seized their moment.
“They knew exactly what they wanted to do.”
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“Sorry we sold our family homes worth 25,000 15 years ago to Germans for 500,000 but now we have nowhere to live and it’s all because. TOURISTS!