The National Police are investigating the anti-tourism graffiti that appeared on the Balearic tourism ministry building in Palma on Saturday and a video in which images of hoteliers and politicians were burned.
The police are looking for members of the radical youth group Arran, who were responsible for the graffiti and who posted the video. In the video, there was a call for confrontation. Images of leading hoteliers - Gabriel Escarrer of Meliá, Miquel Fluxà of Iberostar and Simon Pedro Barceló of the Barceló Group - and of politicians, including President Prohens, were burned. This video has prompted an investigation into incitement to hatred.
In reference to the graffiti, the group also referred to confrontation. "We young people are not proud that our island has been sold out. We are fed up and ready to confront them." The graffiti referred to "those responsible for our misery". It was removed by the municipal services agency, Emaya.
The government stated that it would be filing an immediate complaint with the police, "so that these acts do not go unpunished". Tourism minister, Jaume Bauzà, said: "The government will always respect criticism and complaints from any sector, but will never tolerate such serious acts of vandalism that, in addition to damaging our common heritage, send a deeply unjust message against tourism."
Security camera footage in the tourism ministry area is being examined, the police suspecting that several people were involved - one or more who painted the graffiti and others who kept a lookout.
Arran have a history of anti-tourism actions. The most publicised was in July 2017 when flares were let off by a restaurant on Palma's Moll Vell. A criminal prosecution that called for a total of 29 years in prison for twelve members of Arran ultimately resulted in acquittal in 2022. Not solely active in Mallorca, they are pro-independence and have links to a Catalonian political party, the CUP (Candidatura d'Unitat Popular).