Why are protests happening in Barcelona? Catalans fire water pistols at tourists

Holidaymakers in Barcelona have been caught in the crossfire of an unusual protest as demonstrators with water guns targeted diners in the city’s Las Ramblas district.

The incident on Saturday was part of a larger rally against mass tourism involving around 2,800 people under the banner “Enough! Let’s put limits on tourism ”. Protesters are calling for a reduction in the number of foreigners visiting the Catalan city and for it to follow a sustainable model of tourism.

According to MailOnline, water pistols were aimed at tourists eating outdoors at popular restaurants in the Las Ramblas district – though it was not apparent the water guns were capable of shooting a powerful stream.

Locals said an excess of tourism had made living in the city difficult and there are too many shops that “do not serve the needs of neighbourhoods”.

But what has led the protesters to take to the streets en masse?

Why are the protests happening?

People in Spain have been infuriated by the lack of affordable housing. Because of rising rents, Barcelona’s leftist mayor, Jaume Collboni, announced in June a plan to phase out all short-term lets by November 2028. There are currently 10,101 flats that have short-term rental licences.

Spain's Socialist housing minister, Isabel Rodriguez, said she supported Barcelona 's decision.

On X, formerly Twitter, she wrote: "It's about making all the necessary efforts to guarantee access to affordable housing."

Rent in Barcelona has increased by 68 per cent in the past decade and 18 per cent in the past year but the issue of affordable housing is not entirely recent. For years, locals in the city have been graffitiing walls with messages such as “tourists go home”.

Jordi Guiu, a 70-year-old sociologist, said: “I have nothing against tourism, but here in Barcelona we are suffering from an excess of tourism that has made our city unliveable.”

A resident, Isa Miralles, said: “Local shops are closing to make way for stores that do not serve the needs of neighbourhoods. People cannot afford their rents.”

Why is the short-term let plan controversial?

Once Collboni’s short-term let plan was announced, Barcelona's tourist apartments association Apartur said "Collboni is making a mistake that will lead to (higher) poverty and unemployment."

It added the ban would trigger a rise in illegal tourist apartments.

However, Barcelona’s local government noted in a statement that it would maintain its strong inspection regime to detect potential illegal tourist apartments once the ban comes into force.

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