Ceuta residents urge calm as Spain plans nationwide rallies over migration crisis
Residents of Ceuta called for calm as rallies were planned across Spain over an unprecedented migration crisis in the North African enclave.
Ceuta, Spain. Residents of Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta appealed for calm on Wednesday as hundreds of rallies were planned nationwide in solidarity with the territory amid an unprecedented migration crisis.
Nearly five weeks after at least 72,000 people crossed from Morocco in a deadly border surge, authorities estimate that more than 10,000 migrants, including unaccompanied minors, remain in makeshift camps or across streets and beaches.
Local tensions
The migrants’ presence has prompted near-daily protests by local residents against the Spanish government’s handling of the crisis. Demonstrators have called for migrants to be returned to their countries of origin or redistributed across Spain.
“The government has failed to act in a critical situation. It’s spiralling out of control. We’re tired, just like those who came are getting tired, and tensions are rising. There’s a point where this will become a powder keg,” said Lola, a middle-aged Ceuta resident who gave only her first name.
Francisco Garcia Segado, head of the FPAV Ceuta residents’ association, said organisers wanted the demonstration to be “clean, free, without disrespecting anyone” and intended to bar the far right from participating amid concerns that activists arriving from mainland Spain could fuel violence.
“What we want is tranquility… to go back to normal. Going back to normal means everyone being sent back where they came from,” he said.
Protests and political dispute
Recent protests have included sporadic attacks on a makeshift migrant camp at El Trampolin beach and arrests of Moroccan citizens accused of throwing stones and bottles at army patrols.
The nationwide demonstrations planned for Wednesday were called by the FEMP federation of municipalities, which is dominated by the main opposition conservative People’s Party (PP).
Spain’s leftist government distanced itself from the initiative, accusing the right of using the crisis for political gain.
“This is not about defending Ceuta and the Ceutans, it is about attacking the government,” Territorial Policy Minister Angel Victor Torres told RNE radio.
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