Does anti-British sentiment in Spain exist? Or is this just some sort of collective fear mongering in the British press?
The night of the Euros in Spain, outside the bars and pubs, all necks craned to catch every move on the giant TV screens, white shirts sat next to red, this was a night of camaraderie between nationalities that so many of us will never forget. No animosity, no real rivalry, just two nationalities, a brotherhood of cultural and neighbourly friendship.
That s the way it has been for always, at least for most of us who have always enjoyed the Spanish Costas. Friendly joshing, a few pokes in the ribs. Even the term guiri , a term summed up by etymologists as meaning person who dresses strangely on the beach , is purely, and nothing more than fun jibes with no ill feeling at all.
Gibraltar, Español. Gibraltar, Español .
This was the chant of Spanish football players on collecting their well-deserved UEFA cup. According to GB News, Brits have been Branded a Plague , while the Mail reported on a Mallorca demonstrator with a placard reading Britain: Take back your drunks . The Mirror reported that cars owned by Brits in Marbella were targeted and vandalised, and at the beginning of July, almost all UK news outlets reported on how British tourists were sprayed with water at demonstrations in Malaga.
Meanwhile, Rodri and Morata, the two Spanish players at the heart of the Gibraltar, Español controversy, are currently under investigation by UEFA and being considered for sanctions.
Spanish football squad celebrating their victory
Credit Carlos Teixador Cadenas, Wikipedia
Seemingly collective interpretation by UK press
Why the UK press have almost collectively decided that Brits in Spain are being demonised and discriminated against is a mystery to most of us British residents living in Spain. This is absolutely the opposite experience most of us have had. And the effect the fear mongering whipped up in the press seems to be having its impact on the UK psyche. This newspaper recently reported on TV presenter and Love Island contestant, Laura Anderson, when she said she felt hated in Torremolinos because a restaurant wouldn t give her a table, when on the day of this non-incident , all of the restaurants in that area would have been fully booked.
The water-squirting, the vandalism, the placards, these were all taken out of context and were part of anti-holiday home protests as young Spaniards struggle to find affordable housing, and not directed uniquely at British tourists. Similar protests have occurred in other European countries too for the same reason, including Italy, France and Greece among others. As for Rodrigo, Morata and the rest of the Spanish football squad, that was just high-spirited, playful teasing as us Brits in Spain know. And by the way Laura Anderson, the rest of us Brits feel loved here.
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