Majorca anti-tourist protesters issue stark five-word warning
Thousands of anti-tourism protesters marched through the streets of Majorca this weekend shouting "go home" to foreigners and tourists visiting the Spanish city.
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Anti-tourism protesters in Majorca have issued a five-word warning after thousands marched through the streets urging tourists to "go home".
Over the weekend, protesters took to the streets of Palma de Mallorca, vowing to continue their demonstrations against overtourism until the Balearic government takes action to address the housing crisis on the island.
Thousands of locals marched through the capital city on Saturday, brandishing banners telling tourists to "go home" and declaring the island "is not for sale".
An estimated 10,000 protesters converged on Weyler Square, where holidaymakers were enjoying their evening meals and drinks.
The protest, which took place on May 25, was organised by Banc del Temps, a neighbourhood group from Sencelles in central Mallorca.
Javier Barbero, a spokesperson for Banc del Temps and one of the organisers of the large-scale demonstration, issued a stark five-word warning: "This has only just begun", according to local media.
People held signs and placards, with some reading: "Wherever you look, they're all guiris".
The colloquial expression 'guiri' is used to describe holidaymakers, particularly British tourists, renowned for partying and heavy drinking.
Despite the protests, Barbero stressed that the citizens of Mallorca are not completely opposed to tourism, but they do feel "suffocated" by the current housing situation.
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Tourism accounts for 45 percent of the island's GDP, according to data from industry organisation Exceltur, with 14.4 million people visiting the Balearic Islands last year.
In a statement on Facebook, the group opposing excessive tourism said: "The right to housing is an ignored constitutional right. They take us from our home and the island to benefit tourism [...] because we can't pay."
Protesters are demanding the Ministry of Housing to implement measures such as preventing tourists from buying properties on the island if they haven't resided there for over five years, regulating holiday accommodation rental prices, and declaring a housing emergency in the Balearics.
"If measures aren't taken we will continue taking to the streets until we see action," Barbero declared.