A call to fill the beaches with Majorcans
A call has emerged on social networks to protest against the overcrowding of beaches in Mallorca. The aim is for the residents of the island to occupy the beaches as a form of demonstration. This initiative, called ‘Ocupem les nostres platges’, has been promoted by the ‘Mallorca Platja Tour’ platform, which has called the residents for Saturday 1 June at 10.00 am at Sa Ràpita beach.
A response to Vox’s statements
This call is also a response to the statements made by Vox’s parliamentary spokesperson, Manuela Cañadas, who has shown resignation to the crisis the Balearic Islands are suffering. The ‘Mallorca Platja Tour’ movement wants to show that residents are not giving up and that they will fill the beaches. In addition, they are already planning a larger mobilization for Sunday, June 16.
Recover the beaches and enjoy them as before
Activists have invited residents to go to the beaches for the day and enjoy them as before. They have encouraged you to bring your flip flops, pineapple and apricots to have fun on the beach. Through social networks, they have achieved more than 1,000 followers and expect a great mobilization.
A moment of effervescence in the debate on tourism
This call coincides with a moment of effervescence in the debate on tourism in the Balearic Islands. Recently, there was a massive demonstration against the tourist model, where about 10,000 citizens expressed their rejection of the increase in the price of housing and the lack of it due to tourist apartments and vacation rentals. The platform ‘Less tourism, more life’ has also proposed collapsing Palma airport as an action-protest against mass tourism. The situation is such that even the Balearic president, Marga Prohens, has shown herself in favor of setting limits and a change of course in the Islands (https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos -in Catalan/).
A call to reclaim the beaches and limit mass tourism
In summary, the call ‘Occupem les nostres plages’ is a call to fill the beaches with Majorcans as a form of protest against overcrowding and mass tourism in Mallorca. The ‘Mallorca Platja Tour’ movement wants to recover the beaches and enjoy them as before, and at the same time calls for a change of course in the tourism model of the Balearic Islands. This call is part of a context of intense debate about tourism and its consequences on the island.
