Majorca’s anti-tourism protest chief defends group’s actions
A leading anti-tourist protester has revealed he will never stop Majorca’s war on British tourists, as boozy Brits laughed at the suggestion Magaluf could be rid of alcohol and sex-filled holidays that have earned the town its reputation.
Pere Joan, 25, a cultural heritage masters student in Palma and was one of the chief protesters at Menys Turism, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), who led thousands through the streets last month in a march against over-tourism.
After the protests, the Government of the Balearic Islands toughened drinking rules to fine people up to €1,500 (£1,350) for drinking in the street, a penalty that could be increased to €3,000 (£2,500) for a serious offence.
It also forced shops to stop selling alcohol past 8.30pm.
However, a series of MailOnline reports have found that these laws are largely flouted in the party town of Magaluf – and today Brits said nothing would stop them from coming to ‘Shagaluf’ for casual flings and week-long benders.
A leading anti-tourist protester has revealed he will never stop Majorca’s war on British tourists. Pictured: A woman looks after two men who look somewhat worse-for-wear in Magaluf over the weekend
The Government of the Balearic Islands toughened drinking rules to fine people up to €1,500 (£1,350) for drinking in the street, a penalty that could be increased to €3,000 (£2,500) for a serious offence in the wake of protests against mass tourism to the Spanish region
Pere Joan (pictured), 25, a cultural heritage masters student in Palma and was one of the chief protesters at Menys Turism, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) and led thousands through the streets last month in a march against over-tourism
Protester Pere said Mallorca had become a destination for sex and binge drinking.
He blamed this culture on Brits in Magaluf, the Mallorcan party town, and Germans in the other popular resort of Arenal.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he said: ‘[Locals] want to relax, to rest in their houses at night. But in [Magaluf] they can’t sleep and some of them move homes [because of] this problem. Some neighbourhoods started to complain.
‘This kind of tourist in Magaluf and Arenal… it’s a bad image of Mallorca.
‘Everyone only wants to be in the place to have sex or drink alcohol or do things that in their own countries they can’t do.
‘For example the balcony-jumping into the swimming pools, sex on the streets, rubbish on the streets.
‘It’s not safe to go on the streets. You can’t find peace,’ he said.
‘You have the kind of tourist who likes to pay for sex. Mallorca is a destination of sex.
‘In summer, violence against women, rapes and domestic abuses, increases.
‘If they drink alcohol, they are not in the capacity to have a normal conversation.
‘This creates a problem for residents and women.’
He added: ‘The UK is very famous for taking people to Magaluf, Germans for Arenal.
A group of Brits are seen skinny dipping in the see off the coast of Magaluf over the weekend
A woman is seen with two men, heads on their knees, on a Magaluf street as other party-goers walk by, also seeming somewhat worse-for-wear
Norther Ireland football fans are seen dancing in the streets of Magaluf over the weekend
A group of Northern Ireland football fans are seen outside a pizza restaurant in Magaluf
A man in a hat is seen with two Spanish police officer on the streets of Magaluf
A man gives a piggy back to a friend on the streets of Magaluf over the weekend
‘There are many others who come only to relax or go with bikes to enjoy the mountains and this is okay for us.
‘Tourists can be sustainable here. We are criticising the government because they are spending public money [advertising] Mallorca as a destination.’
Anti-tourist graffiti such as ‘F*** tourists’ and ‘tourists go home’ has been spotted across the sun-kissed island, as well as in other Spanish destinations.
Although Pere said this did not stem from the official Menys Turism, Més Vida platform, he wasn’t against it.
Likening the group to Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion – whose activists have been known to throw paint at famous artworks – he said, ‘we can’t be violent,’ but added that if tourists were scared away by graffiti, then that was not a bad thing.
Yet Brits were adamant that no one would stop their fun.
Jason Bailey, 18, from Manchester, has been out for seven nights in a row in Magaluf.
He told MailOnline: ‘You can’t stop people from coming to an attraction. It’s like us stopping people coming to Alton Towers.
‘Magaluf is known for it. Move to Palma. Palma is calmer. Don’t live here.’
One of his friends said she had enjoyed her time in Magaluf, although admitted a group of prostitutes near the main Strip of Punta Balena had said it was only ‘5 for a blow**b’, which they declined.
Protester Pere said he understood tourism brought a lot of money to Mallorca but said the government was poor at managing the industry. He claimed 60 to 65 per cent of the companies on the island were focused on tourists.
A group of police officers are seen patrolling the streets of Magaluf, while a man in an elaborate costume, which appears to be in stilts, walks in the other direction
Clubbers are seen crowded outside Magaluf’s popular Panama Jack bar
Party-goers walk down a street in Magaluf as they enjoy a Spanish getaway
The student protester said: ‘Multinationals have closed. We lose the historical boutiques to buy bread or typical clothes. Many of them now focus on tourists. Pizza, sushi – [for] Spanish food there are less restaurants.
‘If you want to go to beaches, it’s more crowded.
‘[Tourists] generate social problems.
Pere insisted his movement is not anti-tourist.
‘The [claim] against us is that we are tourist-phobic,’ he said. ‘We are not against tourists. We are okay with tourists but not with the way it’s [being run by] the government.
‘We understand tourists as an economic activity that’s great for us but there is a red line when the tourists start to invade, [bringing] social problems.’
He said tourists consumed three times more water than residents and that drunk Brits were among the boozed-up locals taking up ambulances’ time.
Pere said the left wing government of the last eight years only introduced anti-tourist legislation in their final year in office.
However, he said his band of groups would never give up in their ‘battle’ against tourists and anyone who didn’t agree with them.
Their next march through Palma is planned for July 21.
Last time, the authorities claimed 10,000 people were at the protests, although Pere claims this number was greatly under-reported.
Tourists flashed their bottoms while skinny dipping on the beach in Magaluf over the weekend
A trio of partygoers were spotted taking a dip fully-clothed, seemingly after a long night out on MAgaluf’s Strip over the weekend
His group estimated there were more like 25,000 protesters.
Even so, the Mayor of Calvia, the region Magaluf is in, has assured tourists that ‘all Brits are welcome’.
Mayor Juan Antonio Amengual said: ‘We want people to enjoy their holidays with respect between tourists and residents.’
MailOnline has contacted the Government of the Balearic Islands for comment.
