The crime against property, at the center of the case against the two activists

PalmaThe investigation into the graffiti on five real estate agencies in Santa Maria del Camí centers on the imputation of a presumed crime against historical heritage to two women arrested this Wednesday. Beyond the damage caused to the establishments, the Guardia Civil maintains that one of the affected buildings is cataloged as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC), a circumstance that toughens the possible criminal consequences of the case.

The detainees —assisted by lawyer Josep de Luis— are being investigated for alleged crimes of damage against historical heritage. According to the Civil Guard, on the night of May 31 to June 1, several people introduced glue into the locks of five real estate agencies, made graffiti on facades and shop windows, and broke some of the establishment's windows.

According to the corps, the investigation began following complaints from the owners and further arrests are not ruled out. The Guardia Civil indicates that security camera images —one installed by the real estate agency on the street— have allowed them to identify three alleged perpetrators —two women and one man— and that during the searches, objects were seized that, presumably, would have been used in the acts of vandalism. The investigation remains open and new arrests are not ruled out. The element that places the case in the spotlight is the impact on a property declared a Site of Cultural Interest. This is the highest legal protection for historical and artistic heritage, and the Penal Code (Article 323) provides for specific penalties for damages that may be caused to it.

The Civil Guard links the events with the platform Less Tourism, More Life

However, the Civil Guard goes further and states that the acts "followed the same pattern" as the action manual recently published by the platform Menys Turisme, Més Vida, which proposes direct actions against agents promoting tourism.

Likewise, the body does not indicate that the detainees are part of the platform nor does it formally attribute authorship of the events to this movement. The investigation has also not gone beyond the police investigation and the detainees, who appeared before the court this past Wednesday afternoon with the support of dozens of people at the courthouse doors, exercised their right not to testify.

The platform Less Tourism, More Life has denounced that the operation responds to a strategy of "criminalization and repression" of the movement against touristification. It should be recalled that the arrests occur one week after the controversy generated by the dissemination of the platform's direct action manual, which provoked a barrage of criticism from the Government and tourism employers' associations. Despite these reactions, the Executive stated at the time that it did not see enough evidence to take legal action against the content of the document.