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Water pistols used in Barcelona anti-tourism protest

Crowds of anti-tourism protesters in Barcelona used water pistols to soak tourists dining in restaurants on Saturday, according to local reports.

Holidaymakers in the popular La Ramblas district were targeted by protesters who also symbolically sealed off hotels and restaurants.

Up to 3,000 residents were part of a rally against mass tourism in the city, the latest in a series of protests in Spanish tourist hotspots.


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The protestors are calling for a reduction in the number of foreigners visiting the Catalan city under a sustainable model.

 The rise of tourism rental properties is partly blamed for a 61% rise in property prices between 2013 and 2023 across the Catalan city.

The mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, took to social media at the time of Saturday’s demonstration to assure citizens of his council’s “firm commitment to limiting mass tourism and its consequences”.

Opposition to overtourism has sparked demonstrations in Malaga, Palma and cities across the Canary Islands in the past three months.

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