A sabotage operation has been carried out on the Spanish island of Mallorca in protest against the extensive tourism on the island. The activists are targeting, among other things, the many rental cars used in the tourism industry.
Police are investigating the incident that occurred on Tuesday, France 24 reports. The far-left group Arran, which fights against mass tourism, has published a video on Twitter showing how the group's members sabotage cars in the regional capital Palma by scribbling on them, smashing the cars' windows and puncturing the tires.
The group justifies the action by saying that there are more than 100,000 cars rented out in the tourism industry in Mallorca, and opposes the emissions that cars cause and the city being "transformed into a showcase for tourism.".
”Strengthens our economy”
But not everyone agrees. Former regional president José Ramon Bauza tweeted that he wanted to thank the tourists who use rental cars to ”visit the paradise where we live, and who strengthen our economy.”.
Spain is the second most popular travel destination in the world with 82.6 million tourists last year, according to France 24. Tourism accounts for 10 percent of Spain's GDP and up to 45 percent of the economy in the Balearic Islands, which includes Mallorca.
Arran has previously carried out actions in Barcelona, where posters and banners have been put up with the message "tourism is killing the city".
Source:TT-Aftonbladet.se
