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Pitched battles & ‘no-go zones’ across Majorca amid anti-tourist protests

29 May 2024 , 13:08
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Video shows the horror moment rival gangs clashed in Palma amid anti-tourist protests
Video shows the horror moment rival gangs clashed in Palma amid anti-tourist protests

PITCHED battles have erupted in Majorca's capital as rival gangs clash and anti-tourist protests reach boiling point.

Visitors have been warned to avoid swathes of Palma where violence and crime is increasingly common, particularly under the cover of night.

Hundreds take to the streets as rival groups clash in Son Gotleu eiqrtiqtridtzprw
Hundreds take to the streets as rival groups clash in Son GotleuCredit: X/@elperimetrotv
Riot police respond to the fight on a road blocked by 200 people
Riot police respond to the fight on a road blocked by 200 peopleCredit: X/@juliobastidag
More than 100 cops are said to have been on scene
More than 100 cops are said to have been on sceneCredit: X/@juliobastidag
Horrified bystanders watch as cops respond to the violent brawl
Horrified bystanders watch as cops respond to the violent brawlCredit: X/@juliobastidag

This week in Palma's Son Gotleu district, police were forced to intervene in a 50-person fight reportedly involving Spaniards, Africans, and Moroccans on one side and Algerians on the other.

At least four people - reportedly young Algerians - were injured as a crowd of some 200 blocked a street with a burning container and threw objects at riot cops attempting to diffuse the situation.

Neighbours locked themselves in their homes amid the pitched battles, with one telling Balearic Islands newspaper Última Hora: "I'm very scared, I can't even go outside."

Gangsters ‘call for ceasefire’ after deadly Christmas Eve pub shootingGangsters ‘call for ceasefire’ after deadly Christmas Eve pub shooting

Another neighbour said the group which included the Spaniards "don't like the Algerians and we don't want them either".

The four young Algerian men reportedly told police that they were sitting on a bench when a large group of people armed with sticks and other blunt objects attacked them for no apparent reason.

They were rushed to hospital with injuries.

Neighbours reportedly said in reference to Algerian people who are living in Son Gotleu: "Either they leave, or we will throw them out."

"They have recently arrived and are trying to kick us out of Son Gotleu," Última Hora reports.

More graffiti with the words "tourists go home" appeared in Majorca this week following a weekend of protests in the capital.

Some 10,000 locals took to the streets of Palma at the weekend and demanded curbs on mass tourism.

They marched through Weyler Square, where many holidaymakers were enjoying their evening meal, and chanted: "Let's save Majorca. Foreigners out."

Activists are now threatening to "collapse" the busy Palma airport, which hosted 31.1 million passengers last year, according to The Times.

The unusual tactic is expected to involve citizens causing a traffic gridlock outside the airport.

Four human skulls wrapped in tin foil found in package going from Mexico to USFour human skulls wrapped in tin foil found in package going from Mexico to US

It comes after Brits appeared in footage to have been targeted near the airport by a local who chased them and slammed into their car.

Dramatic scenes caught on camera showed the Brits' car being forced off a motorway and onto a hard shoulder, before the attacker made "several reckless manoeuvres", according to cops.

The Brits reversed up an on-ramp in a desperate bid to escape, but were followed by the driver who rammed into them then took off.

This week, Majorca riot cops were caught on camera firing rubber bullets at German football "ultras" in Playa de Palma.

Tourists fled the scene in the Majorcan beach resort on Monday evening as cops attempted to break up a group of fifty-odd people.

Officers holding weapons were seen running after a group clad in yellow and black in front of horrified onlookers, with some cowering in side streets and running to other bars for safety.

As the campaign against tourists continues in Majorca, a list of some of the riskiest Palma neighbourhoods for tourists have been revealed.

The most dangerous, according to yes-mallorca-property.com, are Son Banya and La Soledat Nord.

Son Banya is said to be a hub for drug distribution and has a high crime rate, while La Soledat Nord is the site of many thefts.

Son Gotleu, where four Algerians were allegedly attacked this week, is one of the island's most dangerous neighbourhoods due to its high levels of violence and drug trafficking.

But theft and crime is also frequent in El Rafal Nou, El Vivero, and El Polígono de Levante, and "extreme caution" is advised in La Soledat Sud due to the frequency of crime and violence within it.

Anti-tourist graffiti has been sprayed across Spain
Anti-tourist graffiti has been sprayed across SpainCredit: Rex
Brits faced major disruption in Majorca at the weekend as thousands took to the streets in protest of tourists
Brits faced major disruption in Majorca at the weekend as thousands took to the streets in protest of touristsCredit: Solarpix
Locals demand an urgent freeze on tourists in the Canary Islands
Locals demand an urgent freeze on tourists in the Canary IslandsCredit: EPA
People protest tourism in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
People protest tourism in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainCredit: AP
Visitors walk past a graffiti against tourism in Barcelona’s Gothic quarter
Visitors walk past a graffiti against tourism in Barcelona’s Gothic quarterCredit: Rex

Jessica Baker

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