Tenerife Sees Anti-Tourism Protesters Deface 230 Sunbeds With Graffiti

Recently, anti-tourism protesters have defaced hundreds of sunbeds in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. This is the latest of many instances where residents have taken to the streets (or beaches) to make themselves heard. As with recent protests in Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, locals have had enough as they are priced out of the rental market.

Anti-tourism protesters deface hundreds of sunbeds in Tenerife

Previously, Mallorca in the Balearic Island experienced protests by locals relating to overtourism. In the tweet shared by the Telegraph, protesters carry banners reading “Take Back Your Drunks” and “Give Back Our Homes.

🇪🇸 ‘Take Back Your Drunks’ – thousands protest against mass tourism in Majorca

Locals direct their anger at British and German visitors and claim holiday rental flats are driving up housing costs

Read more ⬇️https://t.co/AaIJaa6iVI pic.twitter.com/atvHgsgvDi

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 22, 2024

However, now it is Tenerife’s turn, as protesters directly targeted two of the island’s most popular beaches in what appears to be a coordinated action. Meanwhile, more than 230 sunbeds were sprayed with graffiti in the protest against overtourism.

The vandalism was found in the early hours of the morning on two of the island’s most popular tourist beaches. What must have been a group of protesters had taken to the beaches, targeting sunbeds at Las Vistas beach and El Camison in the south of Tenerife.

‼️Over 230 sun beds vandalised in rampage on Los Cristianos beaches in #Tenerife
‼️They have been graffitied with anti-tourism slogans, as have the walls of the Arts shopping centre…https://t.co/opkX8pV8jd pic.twitter.com/VKJRhB6ZyS

— Canarian Weekly (@CanarianWeekly) December 6, 2024

Officials on the island expressed outrage at the incident which comes at a time when tensions are escalating on Tenerife between locals and tourists.

Among the slogans scrawled on the sunbeds were “Canarias no se vende” (The Canary Islands are not for sale) and “Canarias se define defiende” (Canary Islands defend themselves). Protesters also defaced the walls of the Arts Shopping Center in Tenerife.

Protests are growing against tourism

The attack on the sunbeds is only the latest in a series of anti-tourism protests across the Canary Islands.

Fátima Lemes, the Mayor of Arona, where the incidents occurred, has condemned the vandalism, calling it “an attack on the heritage of Arona” that goes to harm both locals and visitors alike. She said:

The people of Arona are very conscious of protecting our environment, but unfortunately, there are always exceptions that threaten the common good, which is like attacking all of us.

Meanwhile, Lemes strong response to the action reveals growing concerns about anti-tourist sentiment in the Canary Islands. The latest incident comes after several confrontational protests in Tenerife, including a beach demonstration in October, where protesters surrounded tourists sunbathing on the beach.

Among the chants from protesters, one was clearly heard:

No hay camas pa’ tanto guiri” (There’s not enough beds for so many foreigners).

Others carried provocative signs, complaining about water usage and hotel development. One sign read: “Tourists, go f***ing home.”

Tourists continued to enjoy the beach despite the protesters

Meanwhile, the mainly British tourists seemed unfazed by the protests and continued to enjoy their vacations. However, other recent anti-tourist actions saw around 1,000 protesters in the streets of the Basque city of San Sebastian in October. Here, banners called for a “decrease in tourism now” in the Basque language and Spanish.

Moreover, a spokesperson for the organizers, BiziLagunEkin, defended the protests, saying:

Tourism which is the goose that lays the golden eggs for a few, is for the majority an economic model that suffocates us.

The problem is growing in all popular tourist areas of Spain, where property owners forego affordable rents for locals and charge more for vacationers. This causes many locals to be priced out of the rental market and have to move away from their preferred city.