Citing the lack of a necessary permit, local and federal authorities arrived Friday at a massage tent on Playa Bucerías in Nayarit and tore down its awnings, saying its 40 female massage therapists were not permitted to work there and had to leave immediately.

The women, whose belongings were unceremoniously tossed out by agents of the federal environmental protection agency Profepa, local police and the National Guard, told the newspaper Tribuna de la Bahía that they have attempted several times to get the necessary permits for their business but have been repeatedly stymied by bureaucracy. They say that they have paid up to 2,000 pesos for the permitting process, money that has been lost after they were unable to complete their application.

The women also said the authorities acted “over the top” in a situation that didn’t require such brute force, adding that they did not present official orders to remove the massage tent and just told the women to take their things immediately or to pick them up later in the trash.

On Tuesday, the massage therapists reported that they had signed a letter to Nayarit Governor Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero, asking him to intercede on their behalf. They also said that they planned a visit to Bucerías Mayor Mirtha Villalvazo Amaya, hoping that she might be able to help them get the paperwork they need to work legally at their beachside stand.

Until that time, they say, they will be out of work indefinitely with families to feed at home.

With reports from Tribuna de la Bahia.