"Go Back to Your Country": Spain Shoots Water Guns at Tourists... Why?

Protest Held in Barcelona, the Top Tourist City

A large-scale protest against the excessive influx of tourists was held in Barcelona, a tourist city in Spain, drawing attention. Some protesters even fired water guns at tourists.

On the 7th (local time), foreign media such as the UK’s BBC and Spain’s La Vanguardia reported that about 2,800 protesters gathered in downtown Barcelona. The protest had been ongoing since the previous evening, with the number of protesters maintaining around 2,000 to 3,000.

The protesters marched holding placards with phrases such as "Tourists go home" and "You are not welcome," and reportedly blocked major hotels, restaurants, and outdoor terraces. In a video released by the BBC, some tourists were seen firing water guns at tourists sitting at restaurant tables.

Spanish protesters firing water guns [Image source=BBC video capture]

The protesters are reportedly concerned about urban overcrowding caused by the influx of tourists. Environmental activist Marti Cuso told 'Euronews,' "We want the city's economic model to be fairer," adding, "To achieve that, tourism must be reduced first." This summer, the Catalonia region, which includes Barcelona, is expected to see a record high number of tourists.

Barcelona is known as Spain’s top tourist city, with an average of 32 million visitors annually. However, as city housing is converted into tourist accommodations, residential areas for citizens are reportedly shrinking. Over the past 10 years, rent in Barcelona has increased by 68%.

In response, the city council has introduced a 'city tax' of up to 4 euros per person and plans to reduce about 10,000 tourist apartment licenses over the next five years.

This year, the number of tourists visiting Spain nationwide is estimated to be around 91 million, nearly twice the population of Spain (48 million). Overcrowding and rising prices caused by excessive tourist influx have become social issues, but at the same time, tourism is one of Spain’s leading industries, generating annual revenue of 125 billion euros (about 187 trillion won).