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"Every day in life we see things that we disagree with or disturb us. On the Internet, on TV, images of poverty or oppression, scenes of disaster or crisis."

Most of us can flick over, change the channel and go order a pizza, distract ourselves and console ourselves with the idea that whatever we think, we can't change things anyway, so what's the point.

OK so you might sponsor a child for a fiver a week to appease your conscience, but on a global scale I'm not sure that anyone of our generation has any respect for politics or politicians. I, like many islanders, have somehow made a virtue of opting out of the rat race and living locally, feeling proud to just worry about my own little bubble and not the world at large. Well there's trouble in the bubble now and it's time to reassess.
The closures of the clubs last year were just the start. A symbol of a time coming whereby the politicians WANT to be involved, are intruding into our lives whether we like it or not. If a guest walks into your house uninvited, you have 2 options, they stay, or you ask them to leave.  

On Monday 4th August at 7pm in Vara de Rey there will be held a large-scale open and public demonstration to protest about the changes. We have a chance to make our choice clear. We want the politicians to stay out of the things that they are plainly not knowledgeable about.  
         

Says The Voice's Samuel Guetta: the demonstration is being organised by a lot of different people, but we are supporting it and helping to publicise the event. Of course it's also  to support Circo loco, but more than that it's to show the authorities that they are seriously affecting the island, culturally & economically. We hope that everyone will come along and show their support...

And that's the crux, we are serious and this is our business. Thousands, if not tens of thousands of people live, contribute and pay taxes on this island as a result of the discotheques and the nightlife.  

The restrictions of the closing hours, I can just shrug my shoulders, tut and go along with it. They're trying to clean up the island; maybe there is a call for clubs to close at 6am.

Next the end of after-hours…well that's a rather drastic measure for a problem swiftly resolvable by other means. Ain't nobody that thinks that closing clubs before 6.30 will stop people taking so many drugs or staying up late.
Jeez, wander round Croissant Show on a Monday morning if you want to see the effect of that clever law.

Then DC10, well it's a crazy place, so maybe there's some loophole somewhere that says they broke the law, perhaps it's a warning sign for the rest of the clubs.

Kumharas? Well that's plain vindictive. That bar never hurt anybody. That's either motivated by meanness, or worse. Ignorance of the world the Consell find themselves in.

This week even La Troya was advised that their artwork (the one they've used for the last 10 years) is unacceptable and should be redesigned. The famous street parades tiptoe around the port, silenced by the authorities from making any noise.

The problem is, if you're going to enter into the world of nightlife, and legislation of the music venues on the island, then you need to be damn sure you're doing the right thing, and be knowledgeable of the world you're dealing with.     

The negative press and publicity that all of this combined legislation has had for the island of Ibiza so far, has already resulted in one of the quietest club season's so far. Clubs are half empty, bars in the port are closing, Europe is already feeling the credit crunch if not a full-blown crisis and this only makes it worse.
         

On the one hand the Consell are requesting that Space stay open till mid October to draw out the summer, but on the other they are removing every reason that tourists have to come here in the first place.

Ibiza and summer dance destinations exist in a competitive market nowadays. The increase of European festivals, and free and easy holidays with cheap accommodation and stylish shopping are 10 a penny, and Ibiza as an island is now being restricted from competing in that market, by the very forces that claim to want to promote tourism for the island. 

Monday 4^th August in Vara de Rey is our chance to make our feelings known. Not to change the channel, or walk away. But stand up, turn up and make some noise about the injustice and ignorance affecting our lives.

It might not be a famine or a natural disaster on a global scale, but these are our lives and livelihoods being affected, and we are the only ones who care enough to put a stop to it.