What started as just another sunny day in Barcelona quickly turned into a splashy scene of protest outside the famous Sagrada Familia.
But this wasn’t your typical rowdy demonstration—activists armed with water pistols targeted a passing tourist bus in a bold and symbolic stand against the city’s booming tourism industry.
This latest act of protest is just one part of a growing movement that’s gaining momentum not just in Barcelona, but across Spain.
“Tourists Go Home!”: A Message That’s Getting Louder
On Sunday, campaigners gathered to demand a full rethinking of Barcelona’s tourism-dependent economy, staging a direct action outside one of the city’s busiest landmarks.
Footage from the scene showed protesters blocking the route of a tourist bus, firing water pistols, and chanting slogans like “Tourists go home!”
One demonstrator summed it up bluntly to Reuters: “We are here because we’re fed up that tourism is always prioritized in this economy.”
Another protestor unfurled a banner across the bus that read, “Turn off the tourist focus,” clearly signaling frustration with how tourism shapes city policy and daily life.
Arrests and a Bigger Protest in the Works
The protest was organized by a group called the Assembly of Neighbourhoods for the Decrease in Tourism, who later posted on X (formerly Twitter) that 24 people were arrested during the demonstration. But they aren’t backing down.
In fact, they’ve announced a much larger protest set for June 15, saying it will aim to “put an end to the tourist fire that is sweeping the planet.”
The goal, they say, is to spark a much-needed shift in how cities like Barcelona manage their economies and local spaces—away from mass tourism and toward a model that better serves residents.
What’s Fueling the Anger: Soaring Tourist Numbers and Housing Costs
The protest didn’t happen in a vacuum. Activists argue that locals are being priced out of their neighborhoods by short-term holiday rentals, foreign investors, and the constant stream of visitors.
And the data backs them up—Spain set tourism records last year, with over 15 million visitors going to Mallorca alone.
This surge has triggered waves of discontent. In some cases, tourists paying thousands for relaxing holidays found themselves booed, jeered, or even sprayed with water guns by locals protesting in the streets and on beaches.
Memories Replaced by Crowds: What Locals Are Losing
One protestor’s banner may have said it best: “Our territories are not for sale.”
Organizers behind Sunday’s protest added that while resistance to tourism has been growing for decades, last summer marked a turning point with more widespread and intense demonstrations.
Protesters argue that their city—and others like it—needs to move toward “tourism de-growth,” a model that limits the number of visitors and focuses on long-term sustainability for locals.
Barcelona Isn’t Alone: Anti-Tourism Rage Is Spreading Across Spain
Barcelona is just one of several Spanish cities seeing these protests.
Last year, more than 2,800 people marched through its waterfront district, calling for an overhaul of the economic model that brings millions of tourists through every year.
They carried signs like “Barcelona is not for sale” and “Enough! Let’s put limits on tourism.”
These rallies aren’t isolated either. Massive protests have also taken place in Palma de Mallorca, Madrid, and Malaga, with housing rights and rising costs becoming the core concerns.
“I Was From Here”: Locals Turn to AI to Tell Their Story
Some communities have found creative ways to express their frustration.
In the Mallorcan town of Soller, residents launched a campaign called “Welcome to Sollerland,” turning their home into a mock theme park through AI-generated images.
One viral photo shows a child standing on an overcrowded beach saying, “I used to play here.”
Another shows a local sipping coffee in a packed square with the text, “I used to have a coffee here.”
The most heartbreaking? A T-shirt worn by a frustrated resident that reads, “I was from here.”
A Clash of Cultures or a Call for Change?
For many Spaniards, these protests aren’t about hating tourists.
They’re about reclaiming their homes, their memories, and their future.
It’s a growing plea for balance—between welcoming visitors and preserving the quality of life for the people who actually live in these cities.
As summer approaches and the crowds begin to flood in again, activists are preparing to make their voices even louder.
And based on recent events, they’re not afraid to get a little wet to make their point.