On Thursday afternoon at 1:00 PM, the latest demonstration calling for an end to the donkey taxis in Mijas Pueblo took place. The protest was staged in front of the statue dedicated to the donkeys, located above the large car park in the village, directly across from where the donkey taxis and horse-drawn carriages, along with their drivers and handlers, await business.
The protesters, dressed in white with ropes around their necks and holding banners, were joined by one participant wearing a donkey mask. The demonstration, which drew just over a hundred people, was proceeding as planned until a large group of donkey owners, their families, and some villagers arrived and positioned themselves in front of the protesters.
As tensions escalated in Plaza Virgen de la Peña, the Local Police's security presence was bolstered by officers from the National Police and Guardia Civil. The new arrivals called out, “A round of applause for the donkeys,” raising the tension in the square. The demonstrators expressed frustration, accusing the police of allowing an unpermitted counter-demonstration to take place. "We have our permits, they don't, and you are allowing them to be here," some protesters yelled.
Chants of "Enough of animal abuse" filled the air from the protesters, many of whom had organized through social media groups dedicated to freeing the Mijas donkeys. The donkey owners and their supporters responded with, "This is our ‘pueblo’." At one point, a donkey was brought into the middle of the two groups, further heightening the tension.
Anne Warner, a Yeovil-born local resident and organizer of the animal rights protest, defended the demonstration's purpose. "We are only asking for an end to a medieval activity. We don’t want more tourists riding on donkeys. Mijas receives European funds and should follow Europe’s recommendations on this issue. They say that the donkey taxi is cultural, but so is genital mutilation in some parts of Africa, and that doesn’t mean it should continue," she argued.
Blitz proposed that the council replace the donkey taxis with tuk-tuk bike taxis, which could be offered to the current donkey owners so they could continue working in tourism. "We are looking for something fair for everyone," she said, suggesting that local authorities could buy the donkeys and establish sanctuaries where they could live in the wild.
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In response, the donkey owners, represented by Álvaro Jiménez of the Asociación del Asno de Pura Raza Andaluza, argued that the protesters’ demands were not in the best interests of the animals. "If these families lose their livelihoods, they will be forced to sell the donkeys to dealers who will likely slaughter them. If an animal loses its function, it becomes useless. What they are asking for is not logical," Jiménez said.
He added that, in recent decades, the introduction of machinery in agriculture has led to the slaughter of thousands of donkeys across Spain, while the 61 donkeys in Mijas have survived thanks to the work they perform.
The situation in Mijas Pueblo has been tense in recent weeks, following accusations of mistreatment by animal rights supporters during a particularly hot spell. Although the owners denied any wrongdoing, the Mijas council recently amended its bylaws to prohibit the use of the donkeys from 12 PM to 6 PM during yellow or amber hot weather warnings.