Frustration over mass tourism reached a boiling point in June 2025 as activists took to the streets, armed with water pistols, smoke bombs, and firecrackers to protest the city’s growing reliance on the tourism industry.

Demonstrators, organized under the banner of “Southern Europe Against Overtourism,” voiced concerns about skyrocketing housing costs, displacement of residents, and the prioritization of tourists over local needs.

Footage captured by Maxwell Banton on June 15 shows protesters targeting a local hostel, unleashing water guns, firecrackers, and thick plumes of smoke as tensions surged throughout the city.

Protesters are targeting a local hostel, shooting water guns and setting off firecrackers and smoke bombs as tensions rise during the anti-tourism demonstration.