Protesters in Ceuta set fire to a migrant camp and engaged in violent clashes with law enforcement on Thursday. The unrest unfolded exactly one month after a significant influx of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave located in North Africa.
Spanish television broadcast footage showing a group of demonstrators gathered on a beach, hurling objects into the flames. Police moved in to push the protesters back while the migrants withdrew toward a nearby pier.
Earlier that day, a police spokesman in Ceuta informed the AFP news agency that approximately 70 individuals had attacked a military vehicle with stones and other projectiles.
Local residents attempted to block Red Cross vehicles from accessing the beach, where the aid organization was distributing food to migrants. Individuals waving Spanish flags shouted slogans including “They should leave” and “Out with the Red Cross.”
How many migrants are still in Ceuta?
In July, more than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta irregularly, hoping to eventually reach mainland Europe.
While the vast majority have since returned to Morocco, several thousand migrants remain in Ceuta, with many living on the streets or on the beach.
Spain’s central government in Madrid estimates the number at below 7,000, while Ceuta officials claim it is at least 10,000. The city itself has a population of approximately 84,000.
Growing pressure on Madrid
The Spanish government faces mounting pressure over the situation in Ceuta. The conservative opposition has accused left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of failing to act and abandoning the city’s residents.
Madrid has recently accelerated efforts to identify the migrants and determine who will be returned to Morocco. The government has also approved additional funding to support unaccompanied minors who are entitled to special protection.
The crisis emerges ahead of general elections scheduled for next year and has intensified political divisions across Spain. The conservative opposition is demanding a tougher approach to migration policy.
The mass influx in July also generated tension within the European Union regarding the appropriate response to the situation in Ceuta.
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