It’s a familiar sight for holidaymakers in Mallorca: street vendors spreading out their goods beneath the cathedral, along the Ballermann, or on the Paseo Maritimo. Bags, sunglasses, watches – all fake, all illegal. For the sellers, it is often their only source of income; for the island, however, it has become a growing problem.
While they lay out their merchandise on blankets, legitimate shops are struggling to survive. Those who pay rent, taxes, and wages are losing customers to quick deals made on the street. In this way, legal trade – which creates jobs and supports the economy – is being gradually eroded.
It is right that the police intervene. But what stands out is the vehemence with which raids are sometimes carried out against these vendors – and how, at the same time, other issues are overlooked. Pickpockets in the city centre? Boozy street parties that damage the island’s image?
Often, there is little sign of a police presence. Entire units chase street sellers along the promenades, while other offences seem to develop unchecked in the shadows.
Anyone who wants to make Mallorca safer and more liveable cannot simply come down hardest on the weakest links in the chain. Illegal markets must, of course, be tackled – no question. But one thing is equally clear: a credible security strategy must apply the same standards across the board. Mallorca needs rules that apply to everyone, and a police force that is visible where it is most needed.
Otherwise, the impression remains that it’s easier to target migrants selling fake sunglasses than to confront organised pickpockets or drunken excesses. In the end, it’s a matter of credibility. Those who want to preserve Mallorca as a fair, safe, and welcoming island must protect legitimate trade – while tackling the truly serious problems with the same determination.