'Purposely petty' Barcelona local ruins tourists' holiday snaps at 'beautiful' landmark

Daily Record

05-06-2025

It comes as tensions rise between locals and holidaymakers.
A tourist has levelled an accusation against a Barcelona local for 'deliberately spoiling people's travel pictures' after they've shelled out hundreds to visit the stunning nation.
Holidaymaker Kylie, who goes by @continetal.ky on TikTok, revealed a 'downside' to venturing to the Spanish metropolis, a favourite among newlyweds.
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Her video captures her stood before Barcelona's Arc de Triomf with fellow tourists soaking up the scene.
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She draws attention to a chap planted squarely in the archway's centre, thwarting her attempts to snap the landmark minus his inclusion.
She recounted: "We're at the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona and you know how they're been hating on tourists... I'm pretty sure this guy is standing here to purposely be in the way of people's photos," reports the Express.
"He has been standing here for 10 minutes since we got here - not moving, he's not with anyone. He's 100 percent just standing here to be in the way of people's photos."
Some users chimed in on her footage, backing the man's stance.
One commentator remarked: "Yes, we in Europe's main cities are done with tourism. Our cities have been destroyed by tourism. The local economy suffers from it because local shops were replaced by tourists shops."
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Another stated: "I'm in Barcelona right now and honestly I don't blame him for peacefully protesting. I have seen some wild and disrespectful tourist behaviour."
However, some observers felt the act was remarkably rude and petty. One commenter remarked: "Everyone should boycott Barcelona. It's not that great anyway unless you like having your pocket picked. Let them see how they get on without tourists for six months."
Another countered: "Everyone's going other country's and Greece this year it's beautiful with friendly people that appreciate tourism, you can't have a tourism based economy and then complain about people choosing to visit."
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The controversy follows anti-mass tourism protests erupting across Spain. For months, locals have rallied against soaring rents and a scarcity of affordable housing.
Protesters have gone as far as spray-painting explicit messages on their own heritage sites to express their outrage. Some messages have been translated to English, reading "f***ing tourists" and "get out of our city".
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One of the targeted buildings is the 14th-century Royal Palace of La Almudaina, the official residence of the King and Queen during their stays in Majorca. It is a landmark in the capital of the Balearic Islands, alongside the Cathedral of Palma.
Historic stone walls near the s'Hort del Rei botanical gardens and Dalt Murada, a stunning restored manor house, have also been vandalized.
The area, visited by thousands of tourists, has left many shocked by the vicious messages, while some official tour guides have echoed the local anger. Pro Guías Majorca, a tour guide company, has expressed its dismay at the graffiti defacing Palma's heritage, stating that "there are many ways to protest, as long as the forms are appropriate, and it is an inalienable right. But this is unforgivable."
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They argue that the perpetrator "who has done this, is against himself and the values that constitute us as a community".
Despite most visitors being unable to decipher the Catalan inscriptions, the bold red and blue anti-tourist messages are unmistakable and will incur a hefty bill for removal.
Locals, now accustomed to frequent protests against over-tourism, have taken to social media to denounce the defacement.
One local voiced their opinion online, saying, "I am against excess tourism but also against graffiti. One thing does not take away from the other,".
Another resident highlighted the economic impact on social media: "Now it turns out that Majorca's number one enemy is the tourist, without thinking that hundreds of thousands of people eat every day thanks to tourists. This should also be considered a hate crime."