Spanish islanders demand expulsion of Germans – media (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Activists on the Spanish island of Mallorca have begun vandalizing cars and shops owned by German expats in protests against mass tourism Read Full Article at RT.com
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Anti-tourism sentiment in Mallorca has escalated into acts of vandalism targeting properties associated with expats and tourists
Activists on the Spanish island of Mallorca have vandalised cars and businesses owned by German expatriates, Mallorca Zeitung has reported. The incidents come amid growing anger against mass tourism across Spain and a deepening housing crisis in the country that has seen rents and prices spiral.
Nearly 30 shops and numerous cars with foreign license plates were defaced on Saturday with stickers and slogans such as “Germans out” and “foreign buyers go to hell” in the Spanish town of Santanyi on Mallorca.
Police confirmed the incidents to the German Press Agency and said it had launched a probe to find the perpetrators.
Santanyi, a resort town of about 12,800 on Mallorca’s southeast coast, is a well-known hotspot for German expats, many of whom own homes or run businesses there.
Among those affected was German artist Frank Kruger, who said his gallery was targeted. “It is frightening to feel such a wave of hate after 34 years on the island, during which I pay taxes and currently employ nine people,” Kruger told the outlet. He claimed the vandals also targeted cars with foreign license plates owned by Spanish nationals.
The vandalism comes amid growing anti-tourist sentiment across Mallorca, where locals say mass tourism is displacing residents and eroding the island’s identity. In June thousands marched in Palma, Mallorca’s capital, holding signs such as “foreigners go home” and “Mallorca is not your cash cow.”
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