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Tourists ‘at risk’ from violent attacks in Spain

Spanish Travel agents have warned British tourists could be attacked if anti-tourism protests continue.

Anti-capitalist activists have staged a number of protests across the country this week.

A group known as Arran orchestrated an attack on a tourist coach full of Brits visiting Barcelona’s Camp Nou football stadium last week.

Yesterday, Rafael Gallego, chair of the Spanish Association of Travel Agents, called the protesters “fascists” and warned their actions could get worse.

“This tourismphobia has been worrying us since last summer,” he said. “In 2016 we noted graffiti and there was an aggression with a glass against tourists who were on an excursion, so we alerted that the situation could radicalise, which is what we have seen.”

“Now there are protests in the entrances of hotels, restaurants and in ports. The danger is that tomorrow there could be an incident of real violence.

“They call themselves Left-wing but they are more fascist than the far-Right. We are very worried that they might cause a serious incident with our visitors at any day.”

Mr Gallego said the tourism industry has recovered the greatest numbers of jobs since the economic crisis.

In Palma, Majorca, activists set off smoke flares outside a restaurant, while another group sprayed paint across the headquarters of the Basque Country tourist board this week in Bilbao.

The Basque separatist group Ernai plans to stage a march on August 17 in the northern town of San Sebastian during a major festival.

More:

Anti-tourism protestors in Barcelona target tour bus with Brits onboard

Balearics to crackdown on peer-to-peer as anti-tourism protests grow

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