Dispute between 'parking attendants' over tourists in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

A witness records the tense scene at Parque Marítimo, reigniting the debate over this prohibited activity.

Generic image of an argument in a parking lot.
IA

Generic image of an argument in a parking lot.

A tense dispute between two parking attendants, known as 'gorrillas', over charging tourists has been recorded on video at Parque Marítimo in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, highlighting the persistence of this prohibited activity.

An eyewitness has captured footage of a heated argument between two parking attendants in the parking lots of Parque Marítimo in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The individuals were vying for the attention of newly arrived tourists, claiming credit for guiding them to their parking spot to receive a tip.
The witness, who has provided the graphic material to this newspaper, expressed surprise at the scene, recalling that the activity of 'gorrillas' is expressly forbidden in the capital of Tenerife.
This incident reopens the debate about the presence of these individuals in high-traffic areas of the city. The Traffic and Mobility Ordinance of Santa Cruz de Tenerife explicitly prohibits the exercise of parking management activities in public parking areas by individuals not affiliated with the administration, as well as the 'guarding' of vehicles through signals or surveillance.
In February 2019, the municipal plenary session definitively approved regulations empowering Local Police officers to tackle this issue, including the seizure of illicitly obtained earnings. The city council's plans, previously implemented in key areas like Cabo Llanos, include financial penalties for those who engage in coercive practices on public roads.