Fury in Canary Islands as protests planned for tourists over 'destruction' of Tenerife

Tenerife residents have been called to protest by an activist group that warned "firmer" action could follow to combat the islands' "destruction". The group 'Canaries Tiene Un Limite' (Tenerife has a limit) planned the protests on Sunday, May 18 to "reject the economic model that is pushing the islands to the limit", which they noted was as thin as their patience.

The protest will be held at 11am at Plaza Weyler, which is in the popular location of Santa Cruz, Tenerife. The group's demands include that natural spaces are conserved, house purchases by non-residents are regulated, tourism and holidays have a moratorium and there are laws on residency. It warned on social media: "This cry, which collects the feeling of a people tired of being ignored and mistreated, will be the beginning of a new stage of struggle: firmer, more direct, more uncomfortable for those who refuse to listen to us and take real action".

The strike was actioned after the latest proposal from the employers' associations was turned down, despite mediation efforts led by Fernando Clavijo, the President of the Canary Islands.

The proposed agreement featured a 6% wage increase, and the formation of a negotiation table by April 30 to address further labour concerns.

The group's call to action added: "The Canary Islands cannot continue to be a picture-postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a few. We are the voice of those who refuse to accept that false progress justifies the precariousness and destruction of the islands.

"The ecological and social crisis of the Canary Islands are two sides of the same coin. On May 18th we will also go out to denounce the precariousness in which the colleagues in the tourism sector work."

Ongoing industrial action affects around 80,000 hotel industry employees in Tenerife, El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma.

One activist warned: "The general mood is one of growing frustration, indignation, and despair. People feel that they are being expelled from their own land and that their fundamental rights are not being protected. People have had enough."

He added: "There is a widespread feeling that the situation has reached a breaking point and that it is necessary to act urgently and decisively to reverse it. The patience of the citizenry is running out.

"We are not going to stand idly by while we see our homes and our lives threatened by speculation and an uncontrolled tourism model."

It is part of wider protests throughout Spain, including Barcelona, Seville, the Balearic and Canary Islands, with a major point of discontent being housing for local people.

Vast swathes of homes are used as holiday lets, which has limited supply for residents who are often priced out. There is also concern over the environment, which is argued cannot sustain the huge visitor numbers.