In Barcelona (Catalonia), “insecurity” or “security crisis” is the theme of the summer. What last year was a “Turistophobia”, this summer it has become fashionable to say that the security of visitors and citizens is in danger. When asked about this, José Mansillas makes it clear that municipalities do not take any decision to solve the root problem: “In politics, contracts are four years old, and instead of solving the root problem, quick solutions are sought to ease the sense of insecurity of the moment,” says Mansilla.

“The narcotics issue makes it clear that we are not solving the root problem: the presence of the police in a neighborhood like the Raval has made drug trafficking difficult, but has brought the problem to the periphery, to the district of Sant Martí. The structural problem is still there, but we have moved it,” said José Mansilla.

Companies that transcend the borders of countries, provinces and states are now behind many of the services, including Airbnb. This application is used to rent tourist apartments and is causing problems in many towns and cities in Europe. However, Mansilla has made it clear that local policy has its limits to control this phenomenon: “These phenomena must be controlled at the same level as they occur, and the limitation at the city level scatters the problem,” says Mansilla.

Tourism anthropologically changes the city and the relationships between citizens. The loss of identity, the loss of neighborhood networks, the difficulty in maintaining stability are other things that tourism entails. The increase in the tourist weight implies the loss of the relationship between the neighbors and the loss of a network of solidarity that allowed to withstand the frustrations and despair generated by the precarious life of the working class.

This year the media has focused on problems with street vendors, and José Mansilla believes this can add racist thoughts: “If certain sectors of society continue to be stigmatized, racist aggressions can increase. We convey that these people are different, that they change the reality of our city,” added Mansilla.