Thousands of people in the Spanish city of Malaga took to the streets on Saturday to protest against mass tourism, expressing their anger over high rents and housing shortages. The protest took place in the city center, with many carrying signs reading "Malaga is not for sale" and "This is not tourism, this is an invasion."
About 25,000 people participated in the protest, according to organizers, although the newspaper El País reported that 15,000 people attended.
The city is the latest in a series of Spanish cities that have seen such protests against mass tourism, following similar demonstrations in other popular tourist destinations, including Mallorca, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.
One of the Largest Protests in the City
The protest in Malaga was one of the largest the city has seen in recent times, according to several Spanish media outlets.
The demonstration was organized by the tenants’ association Sindicato de Inquilinos e Inquilinas, which stated that the increasing number of tourists and numerous apartments are the reason for the housing shortage and other problems in the city.
“The city is suffering, and the resentment is high. The housing issue, in particular, needs to be addressed,” said the spokesperson for the organizers, Curro Machuca, as reported by El País.
A Palestinian flag was also seen at the protest.
Malaga has more than 12,000 legally registered holiday homes, more than any other Spanish city except Madrid and Barcelona. Additionally, many private holiday homes in Malaga and elsewhere operate illegally.
“The situation is unsustainable. It is impossible to buy a house,” said protester María Franco.
Engineer Sonia Raya told the media that she recently saw a windowless garage in Malaga being offered as an apartment for a monthly rent of 600 euros.