Tourists shot with water pistols

[FriedGold]

Anyone else a bit worried about the protests against tourists going on across Europe? It’s really putting me off travelling with my children. If I’d been one of the people on holiday shot at with water pistols by angry locals in Barcelona I would have felt so threatened and upset! I generally don’t feel I can book to go to any of theses places now in case we’re not safe.

We had a house in France. I can speak French. Pretty much every time I spoke to someone in French they answered me in English.

Still love France though.

They are protesting against all tourists. Just so happens there will be areas patronised mostly by Brits. The main objections are to the fact locals are priced out by air bnbs, that the neighbourhood changes from liveable to touristy with shops changing accordingly, price rises, and lack of respect for the local culture. Plenty of UK towns would agree, especially those favoured by stag and hen dos.

Just got back from Palma and no issues whatsoever

Isnt this about tourists buying flats and setting up air bnbs so that the locals are priced out?

Totally agree that shouldn’t be allowed to happen

I agree that the behaviour of some Brits abroad is horrendous and that the locals are fed up of it, but assaulting people is just not on.

We'll see how happy they are when their bars, restaurants and shops close down when they've scared all the (mostly decent) British holidaymakers away

Tbh I haven't not enjoyed holidays on mainland Spain and Majorca as all the hotel food was just their version of British stuff..

Canary Islands, Ibiza, Mallorca, Venice.

Most MNers are white so it's not as much of an issue for them.

And also in the Canary Islands.

We go to France is a caravan and it costs an absolute fortune. The sites are expensive and we eat out as don't want to be cooking everyday. It seems the French are particularly rude to the English. When they realise we are not English they are fine.

Tenerife. Santorini. Venice. Minorca. And many more. Have a google!

I think this happens in lots of places from time to time. I remember my (very quiet, polite and unassuming) parents were pelted with tomatoes in Tunisia when walking back along the pavement to rejoin their cruise ship 6/7 years ago.

I think the protestors have a point.

It is time that tourism had some limits imposed. Take the Cotswolds as an example. Tiny villages, where people live, are swamped with coachloads of gawpers wanting to take the obligatory selfies, trampling in people's gardens and just generally ruining the place.

There needs to be some restrictions on how many people can visit, otherwise all the loveliest places in the world will be destroyed by overuse.

I blame the Internet (and social media in particular) for enabling millions of people to discover where the prettiest and most beautiful places are, when previously they would never have heard of them.

And a lot of Brits don't. And a lot of other nations, including European ones behave badly on holiday. I am going to the Spanish coast just outside Barcelona in September and I'm a bit worried. We have been to Barcelona a few times and always found the locals very friendly before.

I don't blame them protesting but maybe they should be squirting water pistols at their politicians. A case of be careful what you wish for.

I live in Mallorca and have seen no protests though I don't live in Palma. Tourists are welcome where I am, though they are usually on the older side.

This is a small island with a permanent population of 1 million but has about 16 million tourists trundling through every year. This puts a massive strain on resources (tourists use 4 times as much water as locals and clog up the roads etc) but this is really the fault of the government - tourism needs to be regulated and limited.

And 2nd home owners renting out their properties for exorbitant amounts is galling on an island where it's almost impossible to find a long term rental, let alone afford a house/flat.

The locals also hate the AI hotel chains that are springing up as tourists in those don't spend money in the local community, just fill up the beaches, and wreck the water quality by swimming covered in sun cream that comes off them.

But if people are afraid to come on holiday to places like this then I guess that's a result for the protesters as it means there are fewer tourists!

I absolutely agree, it is why I said a lot but this is by no means all. It is those that give the rest of us a bad name.

😂😂😂 I have Dutch family - this is true 😁

I think cruise ships are the worst offenders! They're huge, monstrous beasts that disgorge thousands of people at a time into small harbour towns.

About 20 years ago I was in St Lucia when a huge cruise ship docked. It was horrific. Busloads of people surging out all over the place. It's just too much, too many. Why are the ships so gigantic? It would be OK if there were about 100, or maybe even 200, passengers, but there are thousands!

My Mexican in laws were told to go home in Spain and were laughed at for their Spanish accent. They were told they should be glad that Spain had tried to civilise them.
My dark skinned Mexican sister in law got badly racially abused by a group of Spaniards at a bus stop.

Cruise ships are giant floating All inclusive hotels emptying at once I can see how destinations would struggle to cope.

I think "squirted" would be a more appropriate word, from the pics they were tiny so not super soakers. Kids would probably laugh but yes, should be directed at politicians and not tourists.

You should go to the municipal camp sites. Much cheaper.
Most tourist towns have them.
In the Dordogne the French like the Brits on the whole.
They’re polite to the Germans.
This was said to me by my notaire.

and yet they'll be begging for us to ome bak when theres no money coming in

Then it'll sort itself out and people will start holidaying there again.

This. I lived in France and studied there for a while. Almost every interaction I had with a French person ended with us speaking English as a result of them
responding to me in English.

In fact, in McDonalds they were actively obtuse if you tried to order in French and would pretend not to understand / bring the wrong thing unless you ordered in English or native French. And I was C2 competent at the time, so more than capable of ordering fast food!

What's different with these protests is the use of the water pistols. Personally, if I was squirted with an unknown liquid by a protester; I think I would worry about whether it was water or another substance. I think it is an aggressive act