Adios tourists

Locals say they're strangers in their own city

- NATALIA PENZA

MORE than 15,000 protesters have taken to the streets of Malaga in the latest demo against mass tourism in Spain.

Marchers held banners that read "We feel like strangers in our own city" and "Malaga is for the people of Malaga, tourism forces us out".

Other placards said "One more tourist is one less local resident" and "Padlocks out of our neighbourhoods" a reference to the coded keyholders outside tourist apartment blocks.

Yesterday's rally was organised by the Malaga Tenants Union, with the backing of nearly 50 organisations including Greenpeace and Oxfam, under the slogan "Malaga to live in, not survive in".

A right-wing group tried to hijack the demo soon after it started in city centre square Plaza de la Merced by chanting, "Council housing for nationals" but were met with calls of, "Fascists out of our neighbourhoods" and gave up.