‘We will never stop our war on British tourists’: Mallorca’s anti-tourism protest leader defends group’s actions, saying holidaymakers are ‘having sex in the streets and jumping into swimming pools from their balconies’
A leading anti-tourism protester has revealed he will never stop Mallorca’s war on British tourists, as drunken Brits laughed at suggestions Magaluf could ditch the alcohol- and sex-filled holidays that have earned the city its reputation.
Pere Joan, 25, a master’s student in cultural heritage in Palma and was one of the main demonstrators at Menys Turism, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), which last month led thousands of people through the streets in a march against overtourism.
Following the protests, the Balearic government tightened drinking rules, fining people up to €1,500 (£1,350) for drinking on the street, a penalty that can be increased to €3,000 (£2,500) for a serious offence.
It also forced stores to stop selling alcohol after 8:30 p.m.
However, a series of MailOnline reports have revealed that these laws are being largely ignored in the party town of Magaluf – and today Brits said nothing would stop them coming to ‘Shagaluf’ for casual flings and weeks-long benders.
A leading anti-tourism protester has revealed he will never stop Mallorca’s war on British tourists. In the photo: a woman takes care of two men who look a little worse for wear in Magaluf this weekend
The Balearic government has tightened drinking rules and fined people up to €1,500 for drinking on the streets, a penalty that could be increased to €3,000 for a serious offense in the wake of protests against the mass protests. tourism to the Spanish region
Pere Joan (pictured), 25, a master’s student in cultural heritage in Palma and was one of the main demonstrators at Menys Turism, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) and last month led thousands of people through the streets in a march against overtourism
Protester Pere said Mallorca has become a destination for sex and binge drinking.
He blamed this culture on the British in Magaluf, Mallorca’s party town, and on the Germans in the other popular resort of Arenal.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he said: ‘(Locals) want to relax, rest in their homes at night. But in (Magaluf) they cannot sleep and some of them move (because of) this problem. Some neighborhoods started to complain.
‘These types of tourists in Magaluf and Arenal… it is a bad image of Mallorca.
‘Everyone just wants to be there to have sex, drink alcohol or do things they can’t do in their own country.
‘For example, jumping into the swimming pools on the balcony, sex on the street, rubbish on the street.
‘It’s not safe to go out on the streets. You cannot find peace,” he said.
‘You have the kind of tourist who likes to pay for sex. Mallorca is a destination for sex.
‘Violence against women, rape and domestic violence increase in the summer.
‘If they drink alcohol, they are unable to have a normal conversation.
“This creates a problem for residents and women.”
He added: “Britain is known for bringing people to Magaluf, Germans to Arenal.
A group of Brits are seen swimming naked in the sea off the coast of Magaluf this weekend
A woman is seen with two men, heads on their knees, in a street in Magaluf as other partygoers walk past, also looking a bit worse for wear
Football fans from Northern Ireland will be dancing through the streets of Magaluf this weekend
A group of Northern Irish football fans are seen outside a pizza restaurant in Magaluf
A man in a hat is seen with two Spanish police officers on the streets of Magaluf
A man returns a piggy bank to a friend on the streets of Magaluf this weekend
‘There are many others who just come to relax or enjoy the mountains by bike and that’s fine with us.
‘Tourists can be sustainable here. We criticize the government for spending public money (advertising) on Mallorca as a destination.’
Anti-tourist graffiti such as ‘F*** tourists’ and ‘tourists go home’ have been seen all over the sun-drenched island, as well as in other Spanish destinations.
Although Pere said this did not come from the official Menys Turism, Més Vida platform, he was not against it.
He compared the group to Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion – whose activists are known to throw paint at famous works of art – and said “we can’t be violent”, but added that if tourists were put off by graffiti, that wasn’t the was the case. a bad thing.
Yet the British were adamant that no one would stop their fun.
Jason Bailey, 18, from Manchester, has been out in Magaluf for seven nights in a row.
He told MailOnline: ‘You can’t stop people coming to an attraction. It’s like we’re stopping people from coming to Alton Towers.
‘Magaluf is known for it. Move to Palma. Palma is quieter. Don’t live here.’
One of his friends said she enjoyed her time in Magaluf, although she admitted that a group of prostitutes near the main strip of Punta Balena had said it was only ‘5 for a blow**b’, which they dismissed .
Protester Pere said he understood that tourism brought a lot of money to Mallorca, but said the government was poor at managing the industry. He claimed that 60 to 65 percent of the island’s businesses catered to tourists.
A group of police officers patrol the streets of Magaluf, while a man in an elaborate costume, who appears to be walking on stilts, walks in the opposite direction
Clubbers crowd outside Magaluf’s popular Panama Jack bar
Partygoers walk down a street in Magaluf as they enjoy a Spanish getaway
The student protester said: ‘Multinationals are closed. We lose the historic boutiques to buy bread or typical clothes. Many of them now cater to tourists. Pizza, sushi – (for) Spanish food there are fewer restaurants.
‘If you want to go to the beach, it is busier.
‘(Tourists) cause social problems.
Pere emphasized that his movement is not anti-tourism.
“The (claim) against us is that we have a tourist-phobic attitude,” he said. ‘We are not against tourists. We are okay with tourists, but not with the way it is (run by) the government.
“We see tourists as an economic activity that is great for us, but there is a red line when the tourists start to invade, which (brings) social problems.”
He said tourists consumed three times more water than residents and drunken Britons were among the drunken locals taking up ambulances’ time.
Pere said the left-wing government of the past eight years only introduced anti-tourism legislation in its last year in office.
However, he said his group would never give up in their “battle” against tourists and anyone who disagreed with them.
Their next march through Palma is scheduled for July 21.
Last time, authorities claimed 10,000 people attended the protests, although Pere claims this number was vastly under-reported.
Tourists showed off their bums while swimming naked on Magaluf beach this weekend
A trio of partygoers were spotted taking a dip fully clothed, apparently after a long night out on MAgaluf’s Strip over the weekend
His group estimated there were about 25,000 protesters.
Yet the mayor of Calvia, the region in which Magaluf is located, has assured tourists that ‘all British people are welcome’.
Mayor Juan Antonio Amengual said: “We want people to enjoy their holidays with respect between tourists and residents.”
MailOnline has contacted the Balearic Islands government for comment.