March against illegal traders

Despite some groups having accused the marchers of being “racists and xenophobic” the march passed off without any incidents and the President of the Association for Residents Retailers in the Playa de Palma, Enrique Savan, said that the people who turned out wanted to show their anger over the law being over ruled.

A spokesperson for the small to medium sized business association Pimeco said that there was absolutely no racist theme to the march what so ever. “What the march was all about was defending our rights and our livelihoods which are being damaged by illegal street traders. “What is more, they also pose a threat to security and safety and the resort's image.” Residents feel the same.
They are tired of the problems caused by the street prostitutes, the con artists and the gangs of pick pockets which last year, the Mayor of Palma Mateo Isern, banned from operating along the sea front and was praised by the local community at large for the tough stance he took.

Now Palma City Council faces the dilemma of having to introduce new bylaws to crackdown on the problem without getting bogged down in legal battles with the state prosecution.

The Council, however, has already made it clear that there will be more police on the streets this summer and a ban on binge drinking in the streets along the Playa de Palma has been introduced.