Spanish police are chasing tourists who do this one thing on the beach and charging them £210

Spanish authorities have begun confiscating sunbeds and beach umbrellas from tourists who reserve the best spots but abandon them, sometimes even before sunrise. This action aims to solve the problem of selfish beachgoers occupying public spaces.

Local authorities in popular Spanish tourist destinations, including the mainland, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, have introduced fines for beachgoers who leave their sunbeds and parasols unattended while away, such as while having lunch or taking a nap.

Confiscated items are taken to the local police station and tourists must pay a £210 fine to get them back. The move complements recent efforts by Greek authorities to tackle overcrowding on beaches.

In a crackdown on businesses illegally occupying beach space with sun loungers and tables, Greece has issued more than €350,000 in fines in just five days. Spain’s new rules are the latest in a series of measures targeting tourists this summer.

Residents oppose excessive tourism

These actions, including widespread protests and incidents where tourists were attacked with water pistols, have caused considerable controversy. Demonstrators have staged protests on Majorca’s beaches demanding the return of these public spaces to residents.

New regulations in coastal regions prohibit the placing of chairs, sun loungers or parasols on beaches before 9am to facilitate daily cleaning. Social media posts show police in Malaga enforcing the regulations by removing beach furniture.

Additional images show police vehicles loaded with seized beach chairs and umbrellas. A TikTok user expressed frustration with the situation, commenting, “You can’t take a seat on the beach when you go for lunch, but yes, they can take your house,” referring to Spain’s controversial squat law.

Some, however, support the new rules. BenidormLovers, a Facebook page dedicated to Spanish tourism, commented on the frustration of tourists who prioritize sleep or leisurely breakfasts over the beach.

“Where are the people? We’ll tell you… they’re sleeping or eating breakfast at home. The practice of reserving beach spots with chairs and umbrellas has been going on for years, but is now being addressed by local councils, the Facebook post noted.

It is unwise to arrive at the beach in the morning and find the best spots occupied without anyone being there. Only those who have experienced this problem personally can appreciate the need for municipal regulations enforced by the local police to ensure proper use of the beach, wrote BenidormLovers.

Spanish media reported that the new regulations prohibit the unlimited occupation of public land. They specifically concern the practice of occupying beach space with chairs, sun loungers and umbrellas from the early morning hours.

The fight for public space in popular tourist destinations in Spain

Local regulations state that umbrellas, chairs or sun loungers left unattended for more than three hours may be removed. If there is evidence of the owner’s absence, the city authorities, through local police or cleaning staff, have the right to remove these items.

For several years now, local councils have received numerous complaints each summer about beachgoers reserving specific spots and leaving their belongings unattended. Beachgoers arriving later in the morning often find the main spots occupied by the belongings of those who were not there.

Confiscated items are taken to the local police station and their owners must pay a fee of €250 to have them returned, in line with local laws governing police activities, good governance and street vending.

A protest was organized under the slogan “Enough! Let’s cut tourism,” demanding a new economic model that would reduce the number of tourists per year. Demonstrators carried banners with messages such as “Barcelona is not for sale” and “Tourists, go home.” Later, they resorted to using water pistols on tourists eating at restaurants in well-known tourist areas.

Protesters chanted “Tourists, get out of our neighbourhood” as they stopped outside the hotel entrances. Angry residents with banners gathered on a Majorcan beach full of tourists, the DailyMail reported.

The movement’s main concerns are housing costs in Barcelona, ​​which have risen by 68 per cent in the past decade, as well as the impact of tourism on local businesses and working conditions in the city of 1.6 million people.

In 2017, Barcelona imposed a moratorium on hotel licenses and restrictions on hotel rooms to ease the overwhelming influx of tourists. According to the website Idealista, rents in tourist hotspots such as Barcelona and Madrid rose 18 percent in June compared with the previous year.

This summer, Majorca beaches have seen anti-tourism protests demanding the return of these spaces to local residents. Last weekend, anti-tourism demonstrators armed with banners and posters stormed the island’s famous party beach.

Activists attribute the rising cost of living and the shortage of housing for residents to the growing number of tourists. One protester said: “40 years ago, when I was young, I used to come here to swim, then people started coming here to drink, and now it’s even worse.”

Another added: “We try, for a moment, for a few hours, to remember that these sandbanks belong to all Majorcans, not just tourists. We can all enjoy them too. Many tourists understand this. It is easy to understand that the rent has doubled, that everything is occupied.”

The battle for Spain’s beloved beaches is intensifying as the summer season approaches. The delicate balance between tourism, a key economic driver, and the quality of life of locals is increasingly strained. As tensions rise and protests escalate, the future of these iconic destinations hangs in the balance.