The judge releases the two young women arrested for anti-tourist graffiti amidst a support rally

PalmaThe judge of the Palma Court of Instruction on duty has released this Wednesday the two young women arrested by the Guardia Civil as part of the investigation into the graffiti that appeared on five real estate agencies in Santa Maria del Camí. The judicial decision was announced while dozens of people, mostly young, were demonstrating in front of the courthouses on Alemanya Avenue to show their support.

The call, promoted by the platform Menys Turisme, Més Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), has coincided with the judicial release of the two young women. Those gathered displayed a large banner with the slogan 'Free the detainees', signed by Alerta Solidària, and denounced what they consider an "excessive and out-of-place police operation". The platform has defended that the detainees are not alone and has claimed the right to activism in the face of the current tourism model.

The protesters displayed a large banner with the slogan ‘Freedom for detainees’ and denounced what they consider an “excessive and out-of-place police operation”. The platform has defended that the arrested “are not alone” and has claimed the right to activism in the face of the current tourism model.

The spokesperson for Less Tourism, More Life, Jaume Pujol, has assured that the detentions respond to “an attempt to punish and demobilize, so that people do not take to the streets and do not organize themselves”. According to him, the platform has been the subject of a “criminalization campaign” promoted, according to him, by political parties, some media outlets, and individuals.

Pujol also denied that the arrests were related to the direct action manual recently disseminated by the platform. He recalled that the investigated facts date back to May 31, before the publication of the document, although he considers that the subsequent controversy has contributed to justifying a police action "as abrupt" as that of this Wednesday.

The Civil Guard is investigating the two women for the alleged authorship of five graffiti against real estate agencies in Santa Maria del Camí. According to what has become known, one of the graffiti was made on a heritage element, which is why the investigation includes alleged crimes of damage and against historical heritage.