Anti-migrant protests in Spain’s Canaries draw thousands

LAS PALMAS, Spain: Thousands took part in rallies in the Canary Islands main cities on Sunday against irregular migration that has seen a huge increase in boats washing up on its shores.

Located off the coast of northwest Africa, the Canary Islands are a particular target for people setting sail in badly equipped boats in search of a better life in Europe. Thousands have died attempting the perilous Atlantic crossing in recent years, while the islands´ government have said they cannot cope with the influx.

Protesters took to the streets of Gran Canaria´s Las Palmas and Tenerife´s Santa Cruz demanding action. “We are not racist, we´ve been too supportive, we are welcoming everyone who enters the country,” Zulema Ruiz, a demonstrator in Las Palmas told AFP.

“We cannot let our children go out into the street because we´re afraid they´ll be raped or stabbed,” the 37-year-old added. Eugenia Santana, 38, said demonstrators were “against mass and illegal immigration because it is affecting our health and education.”

Some protesters also carried placards critical of Spain´s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has advocated an approach that would see paths to legal immigration created. In July, lawyers asked the authorities to ban similar protests in the Canary Islands on the grounds that they could constitute a hate crime. The request was rejected, allowing the protests to continue.

Along with Italy and Greece, Spain is one of the three major European gateways for migrant arrivals. Despite the frequent deaths, the Atlantic route has gained in popularity as it is less policed than the Mediterranean.

Almost 40,000 migrants entered the Canary Islands in 2023, a record on course to be broken this year. Up to October 15, 32,878 irregular migrants arrived in the archipelago by sea, compared with 23,537 in the same period last year, according to Interior Ministry figures.