Two 28-year-old women were arrested by the Guardia Civil on July 15, 2026, on suspicion of coordinating vandalism at five real estate agencies in Santa Maria del Camí, Mallorca. The alleged incidents took place during the night of May 31 to June 1. Investigators are looking into damage to shopfronts and adhesive allegedly placed in locks. The arrests came ahead of a large demonstration against tourist overcrowding in Palma on July 26, adding to debate over how authorities handle anti-tourism activism.
Information from the official report accessed by EL PAÍS, the women are suspected of spray-painting slogans such as “Fuera guiris” and “A casa” on shopfronts and sealing locks with glue. The Guardia Civil alleges that the acts were premeditated and followed instructions in a manual circulated by groups opposing mass tourism. The manual encouraged direct action against tourism-related businesses. Published on social media by the Menys Turisme, Més Vida platform on July 7, it reportedly advised activists to cover their faces and use spray paint, and to block locks, methods cited in the investigation. Media coverage has linked the case to anti-mass-tourism activism associated with Menys Turisme, Més Vida and Arran Mallorca. That reported connection forms part of the investigation, not a judicial finding that either group ordered or carried out the damage.
After reviewing security-camera footage, investigators identified the two women. One had a banner reading “Sos residents, stop overturisme” displayed on her balcony, which the Guardia Civil cited as further evidence of her alleged involvement. Both detainees, represented by lawyer Josep de Luis, exercised their right not to testify at Guardia Civil headquarters or before the court. They were released, and the investigation remained open. The suspected offenses have been described as property damage and offenses against historical heritage.
The case is being handled by the Tribunal de Instancia, sección de Instrucción, plaza 12 de Palma. At the request of the women’s lawyer, the court summoned them to give evidence at 9:30 a.m. on October 27, 2026. This is a further procedural step. The women remain under investigation, and the case has produced neither a judgment nor a finding of guilt.
The arrests have drawn criticism from local organizations, including unions and environmental groups, which argue that the police response is disproportionate and part of a broader effort to criminalize protests against tourism saturation. The Menys Turisme, Més Vida platform, which includes around 60 organizations, is organizing a major demonstration in Palma on July 26. Political figures have also intervened: Vicenç Vidal, a deputy from Més per Mallorca, has called for the Minister of the Interior and the Secretary of State for Tourism to explain the police operation in Congress. He described the situation as extremely serious and warned against any infringement of Fundamental Rights.
Balearic Vice President Maria Antònia Estarellas declined to comment on whether the arrests were excessive, but stressed the importance of peaceful demonstrations and respect for public property. GOB, the islands’ basic environmental group, echoed concerns that the detentions were intended to intimidate people planning to join the protest. The Association of Agrarian and Ecological Production of Mallorca also questioned the scale of the judicial response, warning that such police actions could send a signal to those debating the island’s future.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of law enforcement and political accountability in Spain. Recent calls for Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to clarify the Guardia Civil’s role in politically sensitive operations have also been reported, including recent parliamentary inquiries into police conduct. A separate judicial investigation concerns an alleged police assault on a photojournalist during a Palma demonstration organized by Menys Turisme, Més Vida. The court reportedly ordered authorities to identify the National Police officer alleged to have struck the journalist. That proceeding is separate from the Santa Maria del Camí vandalism case, and the two investigations concern different allegations.
Tourism remains basic to the Balearic economy, while rising visitor numbers have fueled debate over housing affordability and environmental pressure, alongside concerns about local identity. An analysis by the Consell Econòmic i Social de les Illes Balears reported that Mallorca received 13.6 million visitors in 2025, 1.5% more than in 2024. It also recorded an August 2025 human-pressure indicator of 1,454,854 people, compared with a registered population of 971,068. That peak was 49.8% above the resident population. Mallorca had the Balearic Islands’ lowest seasonality index, with a 26.8% variation between July and December 2025, reflecting both a prolonged tourism season and the scale of visitor pressure.
Grassroots movements have called for tighter regulation of holiday rentals and greater protection for residents. The vandalism investigation and the debate around it highlight the tension between protests over tourism saturation and criminal-law enforcement when private businesses are allegedly damaged, as Mallorca weighs tourism’s economic role against social and environmental concerns.
