Frustrated by “empty assurances”, numerous meetings and insufficient resolutions, the residents of Portuense took to the streets yesterday to demand from public authorities a “genuine solution” for Playa Jardín, which has been closed to bathing since 3rd July last year due to wastewater leaks, alongside a plea for a clean and unpolluted sea.
A vibrant procession of yellow t-shirts, some emblazoned with the logo of the Stop platform which organised the demonstration, while others bore hand-painted slogans such as ‘We do not want to bathe in faeces’, paraded through the streets of Puerto de la Cruz, capturing the attention of residents and tourists alike—some perplexed by the motives, others hesitant to join in, while a few opted to capture the protest on their mobile devices.
Leading the charge were children adorned with the colours of the Canarian flag and carrying a large banner that read ‘The sea is life, not a rubbish dump’. The march commenced at midday from Playa Martiánez and saw participation from other island groups like ‘Save the Tejita’ and the Surf Club.
The demonstration unfolded peacefully, with a significant police presence. According to the National Police, the number of participants fluctuated throughout the route, increasing from the San Telmo promenade until the conclusion of the march, though it was reported that the turnout far exceeded one thousand, with organisers claiming more than 1,500 participants.
“Garden beach, endless rubbish;” “Poor purification, destroys the environment;” “The beach is polluted and nothing gets done here;” “Dávila, Dávila, Dávila, we want our beach back;” “You can see it, you can feel it, the community is here;” “Fewer meetings, more solutions;” “Punta Brava is not for sale, we love and defend it”; were just some of the chants echoing through the crowd, highlighting the “inaction” and “falsehoods” of officials regarding the issue of sewage spills.
During the march, two specific stops were observed. The first was at the back entrance of the City Council, where Cande Padilla, the vice president of the platform, delivered key messages directed at political leaders, stressing the necessity for “real policies that halt pollution and safeguard our sea and coastline”, rather than “temporary fixes” that merely mask the problem. This latter point was frequently echoed in reference to earlier comments made by the insular councillor for environment and sustainability, Blanca Pérez, regarding the emitter’s required adjustments.
Blanca Pérez, whose likeness appeared on one of the banners, was at the forefront of the criticism, followed closely by the president of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, to whom the crowd demanded, “Dávila, Dávila, Dávila, give us back our beach.”
The next halt was in front of Playa Jardín, where participants were encouraged to sing the specially composed anthem for the day, before proceeding a short while later to their final destination, the treatment plant in Punta Brava, at the opposite end of the city.
The endpoint was not chosen by chance; it underscored the fact that this facility, constructed in the early 1990s, has become outdated for managing the sewage of the city and neighbouring municipalities such as Realejos and La Orotava. At this juncture, the organisers affixed a photo of Blanca Pérez saying, “There you have your comeuppance,” was heard in the crowd.
Subsequently, Cande Pérez and Tania Hernández, the president of the platform, expressed their gratitude for the turnout; they urged local, insular and regional authorities to take “immediate and effective” action, and “implement an adequate purification system that ensures the waters discharged into the sea are safe and clean.” Above all, they made it clear that they will persist in their fight “for a cleaner, healthier, and fairer community.”
