Majorca’s capital is a lively hub of culture, music, history and nightlife, yet one neighbourhood has been branded as a dangerous no-go zone by locals.
A few minutes away from Palma’s old town lies Plaça Nova de la Ferrería. The once safe, family area has become overrun with drugs, guns and prostitutes.
The dark and gloomy scene offers streets filled with used syringes, bloody fights and armed people walking around with knives and guns, according to locals.
The list of problems include: drug dealers going about their business undisturbed, prostitutes crowding in and people relieving themselves on the street in broad daylight, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
To fight against the decline of their neglected neighbourhood, around 50 residents have come together to document the situation on social media and urge the council to take action.
Cristina Roncal, owner of an organic bakery, has reported the frightening incidents, explaining how the situation has been escalating.
She told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: “Junkies come into the shop and ask for aluminium foil. I didn’t know what it was for – until someone explained to me that they use it for injecting.”
Another local business owner, Sergio, said how people go into his restaurant, L’Informal Taco, when it’s “crowded” and “ask for cigarettes, money – or steal spoons to inject themselves with.”
According to police, the area is now one of the most dangerous in Palma.
Local residents are becoming increasingly furious with the situation as the city council has so far not taken any action to address the problem. The authority has reportedly not responded to complaints, sparking an online petition.
The demands include daily police presence and the closure of drug sale points and “places of sexual exploitation”.
An open letter from locals reveals another reason for the deterioration of their once-loved area includes the proximity to the Zaqueo soup kitchen.
Being located only a few metres away from the heart of the issues, residents explain: “Some of its visitors simply throw their leftover food onto the square or leave rubbish lying around.
“This attracts rats, cockroaches and diseases.”