WATCH: Dutch bicycle tourists clash with locals in Valencia old town as anti-tourism anger boils over once again
TEMPERS flared in Valencia’s historic centre on Sunday when furious locals clashed a group of Dutch tourists on bicycles.
Ugly scenes caught on camera showed a crowd screaming at the tourists to ‘get out’ as the two groups came close to blows in a cramped cobbled street.
The confrontation reportedly broke out on Calle Danzas, in the heart of the Old Town, after a cycling tour inadvertently rode into the path of an anti-tourism protest organised by a residents’ association called Barrio en Peligro de Extincion – or ‘Neighbourhood in Danger of Extinction.’
Video footage shows angry residents blocking the group of holidaymakers and chanting ‘tourists go home’ while the cyclists, visibly shaken, shouted back in English.
One woman appeared on the verge of tears as the standoff escalated, with pushing, shoving and insults traded in both languages.
A male tourist was seen raising his fist and shouting ‘f*** you’ as he walked away, while one local woman retaliated by slapping her own backside in a taunt.
According to the residents’ group, the clash began when the cyclists refused to dismount or slow down as they attempted to cross through the protest.
In a statement, the association admitted shouting anti-tourist slogans but accused the visitors of turning ‘aggressive and violent.’
It said the dispute stemmed from wider anger in Valencia over ‘touristification and speculation that saturate the neighbourhoods and expel people from their homes.’
The group blamed large real estate investors and tour operators for ‘becoming the rulers of the city,’ while accusing local authorities of failing to protect residents from rising rents, noisy tourist flats and evictions.
“The least tourists can do is respect the protests and be aware of how their leisure activities can have a detrimental effect on our lives,” the statement read.
“Because this is not happening, we say loudly: ‘Tourists, go home!’”
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The incident follows a series of anti-tourism demonstrations across Spain in recent months as resentment grows in popular destinations from the Canary Islands to Catalonia.
In Mallorca and Barcelona, activists armed with water pistols have targeted tourists, while last year demonstrators in Tenerife stormed a beach and surrounded holidaymakers in their swimwear.
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