The New Water Gun Warning You Should Know About Before You Go to Europe This Summer

European locals from Spain to Italy are voicing their frustration over mass tourism in their backyards. Recently, a group of residents in Spain took to the streets to protest, bringing squirt guns loaded with water as they called for an end to rising housing costs and a loss of community.

On June 15th, protesters organized in Barcelona, Mallorca, Venice, and Lisbon to spray tourists with water guns.

Activists organized the protests to bring attention to overtourism in Europe ahead of the busy summer travel season. Popular cities like Venice, Italy, and Lisbon, Portugal hosted protests.

The humble water gun has become the symbol of Spain's anti-tourism protests.

It all started at a tourism protest in Barcelona, Spain in 2024. pic.twitter.com/G25vzfDs08

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 18, 2025

Eyewitnesses told CBS News that some protesters sprayed their water guns at tourists, but other activists used their water guns to squirt themselves to keep cool. According to various reports, the water guns were used as 1.) a symbol of protest, 2.) a playful way to draw attention, and 3.) a way to keep cool in the heat. In fact, an organizer from the Neighborhood Assembly for Tourism Degrowth told The Associated Press, “What happened later went viral, but in reality it was just kind of a joke by a group of people who brought water guns because it was hot.”

The protests come as tensions continue to grow between anti-tourism groups and short-term rental property owners. In 2024, 94 million international visitors visited Spain, outnumbering the 48 million residents by 46 million, per CBS News. Sentiments like “Get Airbnb out of our neighborhoods” have been seen during protests over the past few years.

This is not the first year protesters have organized across Europe. In July 2024, an activist group in Barcelona held a rally to highlight the degrowth of the tourism sector, according to the Associated Press.

In a response to the protests, the Consumer Rights Minister of Spain, Pablo Bustinduy, said that the tourism sector “cannot jeopardize the constitutional rights of the Spanish people,” according to the Associated Press. Additionally, the economy minister Carlos Cuerpo said the government is aware of the effects of mass tourism and knows there is work to be done.

We will continue to look for updates as the busy summer vacation season unfolds. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest travel news, so stay tuned for more.

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Have you ever encountered a protest during your vacation? Let us know in the comments!