Canary Islands protestors stage hunger strike in Tenerife over mass tourism impacts

Videos posted on social media show hundreds of protestors linking arms to form a human chain on Tenerife (Credit: Canarias Se Agota)

Protestors in Tenerife have begun a hunger strike as part of a wider campaign demanding the Canary Islands government tackle the effects of excess tourism in the region.

On Thursday, members of the Canarias Se Agota group staged a demonstration at La Laguna Cathedral, with hundreds of people linking arms to form a human chain.

The protest coincided with the start of what the group has called an "indefinite" hunger strike by an unknown number of its members.

Canarias Se Agota says it is taking action due to Tenerife's "tourist monoculture" which "squeezes natural resources, destroys the territory and deteriorates the quality of life of the local population".

Tenerife is the largest of Spain's Canary Islands and is a popular holiday destination for Britons.

Footage posted on social media by Canarias Se Agota showed a long, winding queue of protestors outside La Laguna Cathedral, with many holding placards.

Politicians in the region are being asked to step in and control what has been dubbed the effects of mass tourism on the island, including a lack of affordable housing and environmental pollution.

ITV News has contacted Canarias Se Agota and the Canary Islands government for comment.

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