The Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of Palma has demanded the resignation of the Government delegate in the Balearic Islands after deeming the police action during the protest on July 26 against tourist overcrowding as "disproportionate".
The Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of Palma has criticized the actions of the National Police during the demonstration on July 26 against tourist overcrowding. In a statement released this Monday, the neighbourhood entity considers the intervention to be "provocative, indiscriminate and disproportionate" and calls for the resignation of the Government delegate in the Balearic Islands, whom they identify as the political head responsible for the events.
According to the federation, the protest proceeded normally throughout its course. The problem arose at the moment of dissolution, when, according to their account, the officers acted violently and without provocation. The organization claims that the police action prevented attendees from leaving the area peacefully once the march had concluded.
The federation also criticizes the two arrests of activists that occurred in the days leading up to the demonstration. They believe that both those arrests and the final charge respond to "a predetermined intention to criminalize the protest" and represent an attack on the right to demonstrate.
In their statement, the neighbourhood entity expresses solidarity with all those affected by the police intervention and reaffirms its commitment to continue defending the territory and the interests of Palma residents. The federation believes that the actions of the National Police will only increase social discontent.
"The fear of arrests and police charges will not make the discontent disappear," warns the organization, which predicts that dissatisfaction "will continue to grow," both in the number of mobilized individuals and in "the level of outrage and determination."
The federation frames the protest within a context of growing citizen discontent over the lack of affordable housing, tourist saturation, the destruction of rural land, inflation, and policies that, in their view, ignore the needs of residents. The entity summarizes its position with the slogan: "Those who love Mallorca do not destroy it."
The demonstration on July 26, called by several citizen platforms, gathered thousands of people in the centre of Palma. Attendees chanted slogans against the current tourist model and demanded measures to curb overcrowding. The protest concluded with the intervention of the National Police, which, according to witnesses, charged at the demonstrators as they were dispersing.
The Government delegate in the Balearic Islands has not yet commented on the accusations from the neighbourhood federation. The Government Delegation referred to a previous statement defending the police action, describing it as "proportionate" and necessary to ensure safety.
The Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of Palma has announced that it will maintain its pressure for accountability. The entity has called an open assembly for next Thursday to discuss upcoming mobilizations and evaluate the consequences of the protest on July 26.
You may also like
