Tens of thousands protest across Spain over Ceuta border crisis

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Spain on Wednesday to protest the ongoing humanitarian and border crisis in Ceuta, demanding urgent solutions and blaming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government for its handling of the situation.

Ceuta, a small Spanish territory on the northern coast of Africa, usually marks its Sept. 2 annual holiday with official ceremonies and cultural events. This year, however, the celebrations were overshadowed by Spain’s worst border crisis in recent memory.

In Madrid, authorities said around 50,000 people joined the protest. After the demonstration ended, an Associated Press journalist heard gunshots and explosions, while Spanish newspaper El País reported that police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.

Large protests were also held in Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Waving Spanish flags, protesters chanted slogans against Sánchez and irregular migration, including calls for a “united Ceuta” and demands for migrants to leave the city.

The protests came weeks after around 72,000 people swam, climbed or rushed across the border into Ceuta from Morocco in late July. At least 90 people died while attempting to reach the Spanish territory.

Although most of the migrants later returned or were sent back across the border, the Spanish government said around 5,000 people, including 1,200 minors, remain in Ceuta. Local authorities have put the number even higher.

The sudden arrival of tens of thousands of people placed enormous pressure on Ceuta, which has a population of about 84,000, and left many residents frustrated.

Local officials accused Spain’s central government of failing to act on warning signs before the border crossing.

Ceuta’s regional leader Juan Jesús Vivas said the incident was more than a migration crisis.

“What happened was the violation of Spain’s territorial integrity,” he said during an official event marking the city’s annual holiday.

Vivas, a member of the opposition conservative Popular Party, has called on the government to strengthen Ceuta’s border with Morocco and reduce Spain’s dependence on cooperation from its neighbour.

The Popular Party and the far-right Vox party have made the Ceuta crisis a major political issue as they seek to challenge Sánchez’s left-wing government.

Spain’s Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres, however, dismissed Wednesday’s protests as politically motivated.

“This is not to show support for Ceuta or its residents; it is to attack the government of Spain,” he said.

The Spanish government has denied abandoning the city and recently allocated 309 million euros ($357 million) to support Ceuta’s social services, migrant accommodation, economy and security.

Questions have also been raised about whether Morocco could have done more to prevent the mass border crossing. Sánchez has defended Moroccan authorities, saying they helped quickly return most of those who entered Ceuta.

The Spanish prime minister has claimed that misinformation on social media, including posts allegedly amplified by accounts linked to Russia and Israel as well as right-wing groups, worsened the crisis. He did not present public evidence to support the allegations.

Russia and Israel have rejected the claims.

Meanwhile, life in Ceuta has yet to return to normal. Many migrants, including unaccompanied minors, are still sleeping on the streets or camping on beaches as authorities struggle to provide shelter, complete registration and return eligible migrants to Morocco.

“We’re suffering and want to reach Europe or find a solution,” Moroccan migrant Nebil Tazi told AP, saying many people were still sleeping on the beach after waiting for weeks.

Vivas said restoring normal life in Ceuta should now be the main priority. He also vowed to continue seeking answers about what led to the mass crossing.

“If we don’t strengthen the border, there will always be someone tempted to use migration as a tool for political purposes,” he said.

In a video message released Wednesday, Sánchez said his government was using all available resources to help restore calm and normalcy in Ceuta.

The city’s annual holiday marks Sept. 2, 1415, when Portuguese forces took control of the territory. Ceuta later came under Spanish rule in 1580.