Historic demonstration in Ibiza against the expansion of the airport

IbizaThousands of people have taken to the streets of Ibiza this Sunday to protest against the airport remodeling project promoted by Aena and to demand that an end be put to mass tourism. The demonstration began shortly after 6:00 PM at the Vara de Rei promenade and traveled through several streets of Vila. The National Police estimated about 4,500 people, while the organization placed the attendance between 5,000 and 10,000 protesters.

The mobilization had a festive and protest-oriented atmosphere, with families, young people, and the elderly. The march began to the rhythm of a traditional peasant tune and one of the most repeated slogans was 'No, no, no, no to the expansion'. On the banners, messages could be read such as 'Less expansion and more quality of life for residents', 'Expansion = destruction', and 'No to expansion, degrowth now'.

The protest was called by the Youth Association of Ibiza, with the support of entities such as Friends of the Earth, GEN-GOB, Prou Eivissa, and UGT, among others. The rejection of the airport has been linked to other problems on the island, such as access to housing, mobility, the pressure on public services, and the territory.

One of the highlights was the intervention by the AJE president, Margarita Torres Prats, who claimed to be "very impressed" by the citizen response. Torres particularly focused on young people and the difficulties of continuing to live in Ibiza in the face of increasing tourist pressure.

The demonstration ended at the Reina Sofia square, where the manifesto against the expansion of the Codolar airport was read. The text demands more participation from residents in decisions regarding the island's future and questions a growth model that, according to the organizers, does not take into account the limits of water, territory, and natural resources.

The manifesto also questions several elements of Aena's project, such as the increase in check-in counters and boarding gates, a new area for non-Schengen flights, and the expansion of the VIP zone. Aena, for its part, maintains that the actions will not increase the airport's maximum operational capacity, set at 10 million passengers, and that they respond to needs for modernization, safety, and operability.

The day passed without major incidents, although on Aragón street, several eggs were thrown from a building at the protesters. A young woman was hit on the arm and other participants were splattered.