Breaking the Mold: Canary Islands Protest for Sustainable Economic Growth

Demonstrators in the Canary Islands gathered this past Saturday to call for a change in the mass tourism model that has dominated their islands. The protests, which took place under the slogan ‘The Canary Islands have a limit’, were part of a growing movement across Spain and Europe that seeks to shift away from an economic model that has left many communities feeling disconnected from their land.

In La Palma, the demonstrations were scheduled for 5:00 p.m., while in other parts of the archipelago, they began at 12:00 p.m. Similar events also took place in Spanish and European cities, with protesters gathering in Puerta del Sol in Madrid to criticize the economic system that they feel is driving them out of their homes.

Thousands of people marched along the Las Canteras promenade in Gran Canaria, as well as on other islands, calling for a moratorium on development projects, an ecotax on tourism, and regulation of housing purchases by foreigners. The movement has gained momentum over recent weeks as concerns about the exhaustion of the archipelago’s economic engine have become more widespread.

Issues such as poverty, low wages, rising rental prices, and the strain on natural spaces and road infrastructure have also been added to the list of demands as protesters seek a more sustainable future for their communities.