Mallorca Residents Demand Germans Leave Amid Anti-Tourism Protests (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

Vandalism targeting properties linked to expats and tourists reflects growing anti-tourism sentiment in Mallorca.

Cars and businesses of German expatriates in Mallorca have been vandalized, according to Mallorca Zeitung, amid rising anger over mass tourism in Spain and a worsening housing crisis that has caused rents and property prices to soar.

Nearly 30 shops and numerous cars with foreign license plates in the town of Santanyi, Mallorca, were defaced on Saturday with stickers and slogans like “Germans out” and “foreign buyers go to hell.”

Police have confirmed the incidents to the German Press Agency and have launched an investigation to identify the perpetrators.

Santanyi, a resort town of approximately 12,800 residents on Mallorca’s southeast coast, is a popular area for German expats, many of whom own property or operate businesses there.


© Getty Images / Clara Margais/picture alliance

Among those affected was German artist Frank Kruger, who reported that 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 news source. He stated that the vandals also targeted cars with foreign license plates owned by Spanish citizens.


© Getty Images / Clara Margais/picture alliance

The vandalism occurs amid increasing anti-tourist sentiment throughout Mallorca, where locals claim mass tourism is displacing residents and damaging the island’s cultural identity. In June, thousands marched in Palma, Mallorca’s capital, carrying signs that read “foreigners go home” and “Mallorca is not your cash cow.”

Media reports indicate that activists also frequently spray tourists with water pistols in symbolic demonstrations.

Protesters attribute the country’s ongoing housing crisis to widespread short-term rentals like Airbnb and uncontrolled property speculation. Real estate agents have voiced similar concerns. In an open letter, Mallorca’s two largest real estate associations cautioned that adequate housing is becoming a luxury, not only for locals, but also for seasonal workers and tourists.

In May, Palma Mayor Jaime Martinez announced a €300 billion ($353 billion) plan to improve beaches, prohibit the construction of new tourist hotels, and require existing hotels to be renovated or converted into residential apartments.

Reports also stated that local authorities intend to remove 20% of sun loungers from Mallorca’s beaches to provide more space for residents.

Mallorca’s anti-tourism protests are part of a larger movement across southern Europe. In mid-June, coordinated demonstrations were held in Barcelona, Granada, Venice, and Lisbon, where activists expressed similar concerns about rising rents, overtourism, and displacement.