Anti-tourism demonstration planned in Barcelona for June 15 

On June 15, tourists in Barcelona should keep an eye out as one of the city's leading anti-tourism organizations has announced a new protest encouraging the use of water pistols.  

The organization, behind last year's rally, urged to "disrupt the tourist normality" during a press conference held outside the La Pedrera building on Passeig de Gràcia on Wednesday. 

Daniel Pardo Rivacoba, a member of the Assembly of Neighborhoods for Tourism Degrowth highlighted the use of water pistols, which he described as "a popular symbol of resistance against the plundering of the tourism monoculture." He stated that this industry "is incompatible with life" and demanded for immediate "tourism degrowth." 

The protest will also take place in other parts of Spain, including Ibiza, San Sebastián, Palma de Mallorca, Granada, the Pyrenees, and in Portugal's capital, Lisbon.  

The protest will be the second one in Barcelona, following the internationally reported rally on July 6, 2024. For this year's protest, the only confirmed detail so far is that it will begin at 12 p.m. at Jardinets de Gràcia. 

Pardo clarified that the protest is "not against mass tourism, but against touristification, the tourism-first culture," as they battle for tourism degrowth. The aim of the demonstration is to highlight the "main levels of plundering" caused by the amount of tourists visiting Barcelona. According to Pardo, tourism "dominates a large part of the labor market, but under exploitative conditions." 

Anna Mundet, a member of Ecologists in Action, also spoke at the press conference. She stated that to reduce the number of tourists, it is important to "immediately, and without fear, reduce the most destructive economic activities for the biosphere."  

Mundet cited United Nations data indicating that tourism accounts for 9% of global carbon dioxide emissions. "More tourists means more flights, more emissions, and more global warming," she said. Despite this, she warned, authorities "want to expand El Prat airport." A topic which has been a debate for several years, but any expansion works would affect the Ricarda Natural Park lagoon.