What will you discover?
1. What caused the nighttime brawl in Majorca?
2. What new regulations have been introduced to limit drunken tourism in Majorca?
3. What penalties are provided for drinking alcohol on the street in popular seaside resorts in Majorca?
4. Where and when have protests against tourist overcrowding been planned?
5. What social problems are the residents of Majorca trying to solve through protests?
New law and drunk tourists
The modified legislation, announced on Friday, provides for fines of up to £1,300 for tourists caught drinking alcohol on the street, especially on the famous festive street of Punta Ballena in Magaluf. The new rules also include restrictions on the sale of alcohol in stores, which must close after 9:30 PM. The changes apply to the same areas as the four-year-old government decree against so-called "excess tourism," encompassing the noisiest resorts of Majorca and Ibiza, such as Magaluf and San Antonio, which are particularly popular among the British.
Social reactions and protests
Saturday night's incident was seized upon by campaigns protesting tourist overcrowding. Demonstrations took place last month in the Canary Islands, and another is planned for May 25th in a central square of the Majorcan capital, Palma. Protesters plan to express their dissatisfaction with the slogan "Majorca is not for sale," demanding that politicians address issues such as congested roads or lack of access to affordable housing. Local residents and the police, whose intervention was not needed, helped to defuse the situation after the brawl.
