22-04-2025
Glaswegians warned of protests planned in the Canary Islands
The major protest has been scheduled to take place in mid-May in Tenerife.
The group Canarias Tiene un Límite, which translates to, The Canary Islands Have a Limit, has announced a large-scale protest on May 18, calling for sweeping reforms to the region's tourism and economic model.
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The group's demands include a moratorium on tourism, stronger regulations on housing access, the introduction of a tourist eco-tax, and a halt to mega-urban development projects.
They argue the current model is unsustainable and has pushed the islands to a breaking point.
In a powerful statement, the group declared: 'On May 18, everyone takes to the streets.
"Tenerife takes to the streets to reject the economic model that is pushing the islands to the limit.
"This cry, which reflects the feelings of a people tired of being ignored and mistreated, will mark the beginning of a new stage of struggle: firmer, more direct, and more uncomfortable for those who refuse to listen to us and take real action."
They accuse the tourism industry of turning the Canary Islands into a 'picture-postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a few,' while locals face soaring housing costs and deteriorating working conditions.
The protest also aims to shine a light on the precarious labour conditions faced by many in the tourism sector.
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They said: "Our full support goes to those who, yesterday and today, are demonstrating to improve their working conditions and those of those who come after them.
"We are the people of the Canary Islands, a people who will not give up until they achieve the change they deserve."
Among the group's demands are:
Protection of natural areas
An eco-tax on tourists
Regulation of foreign home purchases
A ban on illegal and large-scale developments
A new residency law
The protest is scheduled to begin at 11am on May 18 at Plaza Weyler in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
In a recent Instagram post, published over the Easter weekend, the movement expressed frustration at the lack of progress since their last major protest on April 20, 2024.
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They said: "A year later, nothing has changed. The Canary Islands government has done absolutely nothing to meet a single one of the demands of April 20th."
This new wave of activism comes amid a national housing crisis, with property prices in Spain reaching record highs. In some regions, nearly one in five homes is being purchased by foreigners, exacerbating housing shortages for locals.
Residents across Spain, particularly in popular tourist destinations like the Canary Islands, are calling for lower rent prices, measures against empty properties, and the criminalisation of companies evicting squatters.
As tensions grow, Canarias Tiene un Límite is warning that the movement is entering a new chapter — one that will be impossible to ignore.
