Police moved to disperse demonstrators at Trampolín and Benítez beaches after belongings and makeshift shelters used by migrants were set alight during the unrest. Footage broadcast by Spanish public television showed protesters throwing objects into bonfires as police pushed them back, while migrants retreated behind a police cordon on a pier.
Earlier, dozens of protesters staged a sit-in to block Red Cross vehicles from distributing food and water. Four aid lorries were delayed after demonstrators blocked the road for over two hours, chanting “They should leave” and “Out with the Red Cross” while waving Spanish flags. Police eventually cleared the route, allowing the daily distribution to resume under heavy security. A convoy of ambulances intended to provide medical assistance was also briefly obstructed.
The unrest followed an incident involving around 70 migrants and a military patrol. In the early hours of Thursday, a vehicle carrying four soldiers was reportedly “ambushed” near the beach as people on both sides of the road threw stones and objects. One soldier was injured, and the vehicle’s windows were damaged. The soldiers withdrew on foot and requested reinforcements. Police arrived later and arrested 12 Moroccan nationals as the crowd dispersed.
The violence underscores the ongoing pressure on Ceuta, a 18-square-kilometer territory where thousands of migrants remain following a mass influx from Morocco a month prior. Spanish government estimates place the number between 3,500 and 7,000, while local authorities claim the figure exceeds 10,000. On August 27, Spain’s Interior Ministry announced plans to deploy additional staff to identify migrants, and the government approved €25 million to support unaccompanied minors. Madrid has also established a unified command for Ceuta amid mounting criticism of its crisis management.
