British tourists and club owners protest knife-wielding prostitutes in party destination Magaluf
Rising tensions between Nigerian prostitutes and British expats and tourists have caused a scandal in Magaluf, where authorities are struggling to repair the party capital's out-of-control image.
Prostitutes in the southwest of the island of Mallorca, known for its beaches and Roman ruins, are allegedly behaving in an uncouth manner, according to British expats, some of whom own clubs that cater to locals and tourists.
In many cases, reportedly, prostitutes promise sex and commit crimes against vacationers and locals, which indicates that the accusations, so far, have less to do with their line of work and more with ringing complaints about their behavior.
In a conversation with The Sun an organizer of protests against the prostitutes, many of whom have been seen wielding knives, said that the women must move out of Magaluf because they “have robbed, stabbed, bullied and attacked not only holidaymakers but the residents and seasonal workers of Magaluf.”
Prostitutes have also been reported to hurl stones and sticks at tourists and locals, with their pimps also taking part in the assault, according to the protestors.
On the other hand, according to the prostitutes' testimony, many of whom lack the proper documentation to live in Spain and thus end up in Magaluf through Nigerian crime groups, it is the protestors who have allegedly crossed the line by harassing and assaulting them.
According to them, this is a simple case of profiling.
About 20 Nigerian prostitutes filed reports with law enforcement, accusing the protestors of insulting, assaulting, and filming them in an effort to harass them. Their complaints have led to the arrest of five protestors after being charged with hate crime. According to multiple published reports, the assaults against them include being pepper sprayed and being beaten up. Some of them also had to seek medical treatment.
Protestors have, contrarily, vowed to continue their movement throughout the summer, when crowds at the party town swell. They are reportedly furious that the police have targeted them wrongfully instead of going after the "real law-breakers."
"Nobody does anything against the prostitutes who attack and rob our tourists,” a bar owner told the Spanish newspaper Ultimahora.es. "We go out to the street to protest and it turns out that now we are the bad guys. I do not understand anything.”
All week, Magaluf witnessed violent clashes between prostitutes, locals, and tourists.
The demonstrators also shouted at the women: "The tourists are not coming because of you." They said: "What happens if you go back to your own countries and rob people. They slit your throats, right?"
A Facebook group set up by a British-led protest organization that coordinates actions against the prostitutes says on its profile bio: "Enough is enough.
"We've made this group to take a stand against the 'prostitutes' who have robbed, stabbed, bullied and attacked not only holidaymakers but the residents and seasonal workers of Magaluf.
"It's about time we all unite to show them that this is our home, this is our street and we will not take this anymore. No longer will we fear walking home alone, no longer will we have to see them preying on the weak, drunk and helpless. We will hold public demonstrations every night and prevent them from making a living preying on the people of Magaluf and together we will take back our streets, and make them understand that they are no longer welcome here and they are not wanted! If the police will not do anything about it then we will! There are less than 100 of them but we can number in the thousands! We will put an end to this together."
The group, which has also insisted on the need for a peaceful protest, has added: "This is not about sex, race or violence, this is about public awareness and safety in the place we live and work. We do not condone racist or offensive comments or actions, violent or abusive behavior or any form of criminal activity."
The party destination has both been a cash cow as well as a major headache for authorities working in the area for years together.
An Irish tourist was found dead Sunday morning after falling from an apartment in the resort town. While the circumstances surrounding the fall were unclear, people staying in the building said that they heard a loud thud in the early morning hours. The man was reportedly in his 20s, reported the Irish Times.
According to the newspaper, back in April, a woman of Scottish origin fell to her death after trying to climb from one balcony to another on the seventh floor while on vacation. Law enforcement officials have, in a mitigative maneuver, tried to tighten rules around disorderly behavior and wild pub crawls. They even went so far as to propose a new name for the town in order to give it a new identity altogether.
“It is time to shout from the rooftops that we don’t want this tourism,” the Majorca Daily Bulletin cried.
Many of the protestors are pushing for a heavier police presence around the parties. That being said, protestors are determined to demonstrate every summer night and keep up the pressure on the government.