Vandalism, theft, hunt for rental companies… Protest against Airbnb on the rise in Marseille

The photos made the rounds in the media and social networks. Here, a coffee maker. There, a duvet. All accompanied by a mysterious press release sent to the local press, claiming responsibility for this series of “militant” thefts in the city’s Airbnbs. “These searches are only the beginning of a broader project, which aims to eradicate Airbnbs and the presence of their multi-owners in the Marseille city,” warns the text, signed by a collective called “Ami

When contacted, neither the Marseille prosecutor's office nor the police were aware of any complaints following these supposed thefts from furnished tourist accommodation. But the sending of this strange press release comes in a particular context in France's second city, which has experienced a series of punchy actions specifically targeting Airbnbs.

First, last March, there were banners against Airbnbs at the La Plaine carnival, a militant and political demonstration which takes place every year in the neighborhood of the same name without being declared. In the street, protesters accuse Airbnb of aggravating a housing crisis that Marseille has been experiencing for several months. The city, led by the former socialist Benoît Payan, itself announced in 2021 a series of measures to reduce the number of furnished tourist accommodation.

And a few days after this militant event, the opposition became more frontal, with the ransacking of an Airbnb in the same district of La Plaine. The owner of a T3 thus discovers his apartment ransacked, with, on the wall, inscriptions that are explicit to say the least: “Stop Airbnb”, “Accommodation is for living, not for making money” , “An Airbnb = a dying neighborhood”, “Airbnb is making rents skyrocket, get out!”. Several weeks later, anti-Airbnb activists also attacked the key boxes of these accommodations by cutting them up. At the start of the school year, photos of Airbnb accommodation owners are displayed large in the very touristy Le Panier district. In November, in this same neighborhood, tags hostile to Airbnb were discovered on the walls.

“It’s still taking on proportions… sighs an Airbnb owner from Marseille, speaking on condition of anonymity. My name was published on a blog, with false information about my accommodation and the profits I would make from it. I am considering a defamation claim. I find it very sad that it has come to this, perhaps to the point of dissuading tourists from coming to Marseille, on the eve of the Olympic Games!”

Also read: What you risk if you party in accommodation rented on Airbnb

“There is a gradation in the actions that still calls out,” notes Patrick Amico. It must already be emphasized that the town hall has nothing to do with it. Let's hijack my name, so be it. The city has its brigade but they don't do this kind of thing! It does what it can to fight against Airbnbs, for example by refusing 80% of requests for change of use. But the city remains within what the law allows it to do, and I invite the victim owners to file a complaint.”

“We have areas where tourist residences are very numerous,” continues the deputy mayor in charge of housing. There is some exasperation from the local population which I can understand. The waltz of suitcases on wheels, the noises at night, the damage to common areas… There is a problem of cohabitation, not to mention that it is more difficult to find accommodation in certain areas. However, I can only regret what is happening.”

“We strongly condemn the acts of vandalism and violence observed in Marseille, which are unacceptable and will in no way resolve local housing problems,” reacts an Airbnb spokesperson to Le Figaro, who specifies that in Marseille, Dedicated furnished tourist rentals represent 0.3% of the housing stock and their number is 28 times lower than vacant housing.

Local particularity: the activists behind these actions are not clearly identified. “There have been actions against Airbnb that are harsher than what Marseille is currently experiencing, as in Aquitaine,” recalls Patrick Amico. Behind it was Alternatiba, a well-known organization. Here we face the anonymity of punching action, with the aim of pitting one against the other.”