Barcelona locals protest tourists with water guns while paying attention to their journey

As European countries continue to work hard, some citizens are taking a stand.

Protesters gathered in Barcelona and Spain’s Majorca on Sunday to protest travelers protesting their country by spraying water guns at their country, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Demonstrators told signs: “One other tourist, one is less than the residents” and “the tourists go home.” Demonstrators demanded a new work on their local economy.

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Spanish Andreu Martínez humorously told the Associated Press that the use of spray guns was to annoy tourists.

“Barcelona has been handed over to tourists. It's a struggle to send Barcelona back to its residents,” Martinez said.

He said his rents have risen by more than 30% and apartments near him are constantly renting out during short holidays.

“As lifelong residents of Barcelona, ​​our lives are coming to an end,” he said. “We are launching systematically.”

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Martinez said many traditional stores have been replaced by souvenir shops, bubble tea shops and burger shops to meet the needs of visitors.

In May, the Spanish government ordered Airbnb to remove approximately 66,000 vacation rentals for violating local rules, according to the Associated Press.

Protesters marched after residents claimed that rents for vacation rentals increased by more than 30%. (AP Photo/Pau Venteo)

Airbnb's Spanish and Portugal director Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago told AP that Airbnb is not responsible for public office.

“I think that over the past 10, 15, 20 years, many of our politicians have found their policy inefficiency,” Rodriguez said.

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Fox Business previously reported that Barcelona officials plan to ban short-term travel apartment rentals by 2028.

Short-term rentals in Barcelona have been stagnant for years, and have been at about 10,000 times since 2014, according to the Barcelona City Hall.

Spanish protesters marched into supertourism in Barcelona and Majorca, with residents facing rising rents and displacement. (AP Photo/Pau Venteo)

Data from the city of Barcelona shows that there are about 850,000 homes in Barcelona, ​​which makes the rent of 10,000 vehicles on the left and right accounts for a small part of the total housing.

European popular cities held their own tourist protests, with locals gatherings in Venice, Italy and Lisbon, Portugal.

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Fox News Digital previously reported that other international holiday destinations have imposed taxes to curb the tourism industry.

Greek officials, for example, plan to impose a $22 tax on tourists cruising on Santorini or Mykonos.

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Venice, Italy, launched a pilot program in 2024, charging day trippers $5.17 (5 euros) of admission, and now hopes to double the tax rate.

The Associated Press contributed the report.