Around 10,000 people formed a human chain more than three kilometres long on Es Trenc beach in the south of Mallorca on Sunday, in protest against a proposed law that campaigners say could open protected areas to development.
The protest
The chain stretched along the beach from the Club Nàutic at Sa Ràpita to Ses Covetes. Protesters held signs reading “Hands off” and warning against turning the south of the island into another Magaluf.
The protest was organised by three groups: the environmental organisation GOB, the campaign group Terraferida and Menys Turisme, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life).
The law in question
The groups object to a Balearic government bill intended to speed up projects it considers strategic. Critics say the law would allow such projects to go ahead with approval from the government alone, without passing through parliament, and fear it could clear the way for beach bars, car parks, hotels and other tourist facilities in sensitive areas.
Es Trenc, one of the last large undeveloped beaches on the island, is part of a protected natural park and is seen as a symbol of the fight to preserve Mallorca’s coast.
The government’s position
The Balearic government insists that Es Trenc’s protected status will not change under the new law, and says the legislation is intended to simplify necessary infrastructure projects while respecting environmental rules. The organisers remain sceptical, fearing that protections could be eroded over time.
A wider movement
The human chain is part of a broader wave of protest over the pressure of tourism on the island. Menys Turisme, Més Vida has announced a march through Palma on 26 July, following large demonstrations in previous summers.
Many residents argue that rising rents and property prices linked to tourism and foreign investment are pushing young Mallorcans out of the housing market. Limiting construction in protected areas, the campaigners say, is about preserving both the landscape and the islands’ quality of life for the people who live there.
