Despite the national government delegation having refused permission for the Tuesday protest against the Balearic government's latest restrictions, an estimated 1,500 people participated in demonstrations outside the government's Consolat de Mar headquarters, Palma town hall and other locations.
The protesters were from the hospitality sector. Bars and restaurants in Mallorca and Ibiza will have to close from Wednesday for at least fifteen days, and businesspeople and workers let the government know what they felt about the order. "Armengol, resign." "Enough." "The people, united, will never be defeated." These were just some of the messages. They believe that the authorities have abandoned them and that the self-employed are being left without resources and aid.
Outside the government HQ, where the National Police had to form a cordon, there was anger among the protesters, who demanded that a member of the government showed his or her face. As there was no response, they moved to the parliament building, where firecrackers were thrown in the direction of the police and a chant went "the president is a drunk". Reporters from the IB3 broadcaster were accused of manipulation; at the town hall, eggs were thrown, some of which hit members of the media.
The protest had drawn people from across the island. In Sa Pobla, bars closed so that owners and workers could attend. The crowds were such that they breached safe distancing regulations, which had been what the government delegation had feared and was therefore the reason for not having granted permission. The delegation says that organisers face sanctions for staging an unauthorised protest.