Cruise passengers face blocked access as angry protesters set barricades on fire
Angry port workers in Barcelona, Spain set a barricade ablaze Wednesday, blocking access to a cruise terminal and forcing passengers to haul their luggage on foot, according to local reports.The protest took place near Barcelona's cruise terminals, where workers blocked an access road leading to the Porta d'Europa bridge, Spanish news outlet Crónica Global reported.The workers were protesting potential pay cuts, with the road closures forcing cruise passengers to walk with their luggage instead of traveling by bus or car, the same outlet reported.'NEVER-ENDING' CRUISE GRINDS TO DEVASTATING END, STRANDING OVER 200 PASSENGERS ABROADRoughly 200 workers took part in the protest, which lasted about four hours, Spanish outlet Metrópoli said. There was a burning barricade made of branches.Riot police were reportedly deployed to the area, according to Crónica Global.Four cruise ships carrying a combined total of more than 13,000 passengers were in port during the disruption, according to Cruise Hive.POPULAR VACATION HOT SPOTS SLAP LIMITS ON TOURIST RENTALS, DRIVING AND MORE TO PROTECT 'STUNNING' SPACESThe vessels reportedly included Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, Mein Schiff 7 and AIDAmar, which were visiting Barcelona.Port workers in Barcelona fear salary reductions of up to 8% following a government audit that identified discrepancies in employee compensation.
(David Zorrakino/Europa Press via Getty Images)Norwegian Escape was also in port preparing to embark passengers for a new voyage, Cruise Hive reported.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERSpanish outlets reported that the protest followed a government audit that found discrepancies between approved salary budgets and the amounts workers were actually paid.Workers fear the findings could lead to pay cuts of up to 8%, according to local news outlet betevé.Barcelona, Spain is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations, but growing tensions over mass tourism have sparked protests among ...