Thousands of protesters descended on the center of Barcelona last night, holding placards and water pistols against holidaymakers. Thus, residents expressed their anger at the increased number of tourists in their town.

With the motto “Enough! Let’s put limits on tourism,” about 2,800 people, according to police figures, protested along a Barcelona beach district, demanding that the state curb the influx of tourists who visit the country each year.

The protestors held banners that read: “Barcelona is not for sale” and “Tourists go home”.

Some of the protesters used water pistols against tourists who were eating at restaurants in popular places. In the background, according to reports, chants of “Tourists out of our neighborhood” could be heard as some stopped in front of hotel entrances.

Barcelona’s ever-increasing housing costs, which have risen by 68% in the past decade, are among the main issues raised by protesters, along with the impact of tourism on local trade and working conditions in the city of 1.6 million.

Rents rose 18 percent in June from a year earlier in tourist cities such as Barcelona and Madrid, according to real estate website Idealista.

For years, the city has been shrouded in anti-tourism graffiti and messages such as “tourists go home” aimed at visitors, which some locals blame for driving up property prices and shaping the economy.

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni announced in June a plan to phase out all short-term rentals by 2028.

Authorities are trying to curb rising housing costs and make the city more livable for residents.

But many still believe not enough has been done to balance the needs of tourists, who bring millions to the city each year, with those of locals.