A party of visitors sat at an outdoor table in Barcelona, Spain, attempting to savor their beverages when a lady brandished a inexpensive plastic water pistol and sprayed an arch of water towards them.
Her preferred tool—a simple, squirtsquirt model—is becoming a frequent sight during anti-tourism demonstrations in the southern European nation. Many residents here worry that an excess of tourists is pushing long-time inhabitants out of their beloved communities.
How did the simple water gun transform into an emblem of dissatisfaction?
From refreshing to revolutionary
The phenomenon started last July When a radical, leftist activist organization from Barcelona, which advocates for reducing the city’s rapidly expanding tourist industry, organized its inaugural successful demonstration. Attendees included some who carried water guns to playfully spray each other and beat the summertime warmth.
"What occurred afterward became widespread news, but in truth, it was merely a lighthearted prank initiated by a bunch of individuals carrying water guns due to the heat," said Adriana Coten, an organizer with the Neighbourhood Assembly for Tourism Degrowth, in an interview with The Associated Press.
Next, some redirected their water guns from one another towards tourists. These photos circulated globally, resulting in significant media attention for the anti-tourism movement.
The guns reappeared in April when the same group stopped a tour bus in Barcelona, the Catalan capital.
Barcelona protesters carrying water guns a minority
On Sunday, approximately one thousand individuals participated in the march From an upscale shopping avenue frequented by wealthy tourists, authorities prevented them from approaching Barcelona's premier tourist attraction: The Sagrada Familia cathedral.
The marchers spritzed unsuspecting tourists along the way, chanting slogans and carrying protest signs. One read: “One more tourist, one less resident!”
They left a path of stickers on hotel doors, lamp posts, and outdoor cafe tables featuring a spraying water pistol surrounded by an English message: "Tourists Go Back Home!"
Nevertheless, the number of Barcelona demonstrators wielding water guns remained a minority. Within this group, numerous participants merely aimed their weapons towards the sky or at one another. A father could be seen wearing his infant in a carrier while holding a water gun himself.
Outside the protests, Barcelona Locals aren’t carrying water guns or targeting tourists. Many people in the city continue to back tourism, as it forms a key part of the local economy.
‘A symbol’ of frustration
Can the water gun truly alter the perspectives of tourists, officials, or the enterprises that propel the sector? It varies based on whom you inquire with.
Protesters Lourdes Sánchez and her adolescent daughter, both clutching water guns, stated that the weapon "isn't really meant to harm anybody."
"This signifies that we are tired of how the tourism industry is turning our country into a mere theme park," Sánchez stated.
A fellow protester, Andreu MartÃnez, admitted that their aim was "to inconvenience the tourists somewhat."
Laurens Schocher, a 46-year-old architect, stated that he did not fire at any alleged tourists but expressed hope that brandishing a water gun might draw greater notice to their cause.
I doubt the tourists will understand it," he stated. "I believe this is intended as a message for the authorities.
A splash can damage your emotions.
The participants didn’t have access to high-powered, pump-action water cannons typically used by children during summertime backyard fights. Instead, they had basic, low-cost water guns capable of shooting only short jets of water.
Several tourists who got sprayed took it calmly, even saying it felt invigorating on a hot day. temperatures pushing up to approximately 30 degrees Celsius.
However, there were instances of tension. During these protests, some participants sprayed water at laborers inside a big dormitory, causing anger; eventually, an enraged worker hurled saliva towards those who had attacked him just before firmly closing the dormitory entrance.
Nora Tsai, who recently came from Taiwan for a brief stay, was one of those sprayed on Sunday. She mentioned feeling somewhat scared and disheartened. The "Tourists go back home!" shouts did not improve her mood at all.
“She mentioned, ‘I still enjoy Barcelona because I’ve encountered many friendly individuals there.’”
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