Barcelona, June 15, 2025 \u2013 The sun beats down on the pavement, tourists stroll through the old town, selfie sticks cross with strollers. But suddenly the familiar flow is disrupted. A splash of water hits a couple at a sidewalk caf\u00e9. A brief gasp, then laughter. \u201cBarcelona belongs to the people, not mass tourism!\u201d shouts one of the protesters as he reloads his water pistol. This is no child's game, but a rebellion: In Barcelona and Mallorca, thousands took to the streets on Sunday to protest runaway tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was the first Europe\u2011wide coordinated protest of its kind. While around 5,000 demonstrators marched through Palma, hundreds gathered in Barcelona. Smaller rallies also took place in Venice and Lisbon. The message was clear: end an economic model that turns housing into holiday rentals, destroys neighborhoods, and turns city centers into amusement parks for outsiders. Andreu Mart\u00ednez, a municipal employee from Barcelona, sprayed a tourist couple with a grin: \u201cThe water pistols are a symbol. We want to disrupt, not hurt. But we must disrupt because our city is disappearing.\u201d For years he\u2019s watched rents soar in his district, traditional shops vanish, and bubble\u2011tea outlets and souvenir stalls flood the streets. \u201cOur lives as Barcelona residents are ending. We are being systematically pushed out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Palma, protesters chanted, \u201cEverywhere you look, all you see are tourists.\u201d Indeed, once\u2011idyllic Balearic islands have become hotspots of economic displacement. Housing is scarce, prices have exploded, infrastructure is overwhelmed. In Barcelona, the city government plans to let all 10,000 short\u2011term rental licenses expire by 2028\u2014a direct challenge to Airbnb & Co. Tourists sometimes took the protests in good humor, but tensions also flared near some hostels. Demonstrators plastered stickers reading \u201cTourists go home\u201d and \u201cNeighborhood self\u2011defense\u201d on windows and doors. One hostel employee spat at protesters as they set off smoke bombs and firecrackers. Yet the image remained one of peaceful protest: creative, colorful, determined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n