More than 15,000 residents of Malaga have gathered in a recent demonstration against tourism, citing feelings of displacement in their own city due to an influx of
foreign visitors.
Protesters marched through the streets carrying banners with messages like 'We feel strangers in our own city' and 'Malaga is for the people of Malaga, tourism forces us out.' Some banners crudely inscribed on cardboard expressed sentiments such as 'One more tourist is one less local resident' and 'Padlocks out of our neighborhoods,' referring to key holders outside tourist apartments.
Organized by the Malaga Tenants Union and supported by nearly 50 organizations including Greenpeace and Oxfam, the protest bore the slogan 'Malaga para vivir, no para sobrevivir,' which translates to 'Malaga to live in, not survive in' in English.
The demonstration encountered a brief disruption when a right-wing group attempted to co-opt it with chants advocating for council housing exclusively for nationals. This move was swiftly countered by cries of 'Fascists out of our neighborhoods,' leading to the group dispersing.
At the conclusion of the protest in Constitution Square, organizers read a manifesto affirming their determination to resist being displaced from their city and prevent Malaga from becoming a hollowed-out tourist attraction devoid of local residents.
Santiago Perez, 67, who participated in the march, expressed a nuanced view, stating, 'I'm not against tourism, but I want it regulated to ensure quality tourism and avoid the disruptive effects of holiday rentals.'
Earlier incidents this year included the defacement of tourist apartment blocks with stickers bearing messages like 'F*** off from here' and 'Stinking of Tourists,' highlighting growing tensions over housing and community displacement exacerbated by mass tourism.
The protest in Malaga follows similar actions in the Canary and Balearic Islands, where residents have mobilized against the adverse impacts of tourism on local housing markets and community life. Photo by rosergoula, Wikimedia commons.