Tensions escalated on Friday in the streets of Ceuta, Spain, after thousands of migrants headed en masse toward a new shelter built near the port.
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The transfer had been organized by the Spanish authorities for people who had been living in difficult conditions for weeks, on beaches and in makeshift facilities. However, the operation descended into chaos as large crowds rushed toward the camp to secure a place.
The process began at around 06:30 local time. A Spanish government source in Ceuta said police intervened to bring the situation under control, while local media reported the presence of the National Police and riot-control units. According to reports, tear gas was also used.
Footage released from the scene shows large groups of migrants running through the city. Some can be heard shouting and celebrating as they make their way toward the new accommodation.
The facility built near the port can accommodate around 1,700 people and has tents, beds and showers. Despite opposition from local authorities, the Spanish government decided to proceed with the transfers.
The crisis in the Spanish enclave in North Africa began to worsen in late July, when tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco toward Ceuta.
Although most of them have since been returned, local authorities estimate that around 13,000 people are still in the area. Many of them remain in makeshift shelters or on beaches.
The handling of the crisis has drawn criticism of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. He has denied accusations of mismanagement, saying that the relevant services faced an influx of arrivals beyond their capacity.
During a televised statement on 14 September, Sanchez acknowledged that the authorities had been overwhelmed by the number of migrants who arrived in Ceuta. He said the government aims to bring the situation under control by the end of the year and asked the city’s approximately 84,000 residents for patience.
Meanwhile, questions also remain over whether the Spanish government had received information about the mass arrivals earlier.
The authorities initially said they had received no warning about the developments. Later, the government made public 40 declassified communications stating that Spain’s National Intelligence Centre, CNI, had reported on 29 July about organized attempts to enter Ceuta by land and sea.
One of these communications referred to a call circulated on social media for a mass crossing on the evening of the following day. According to the Daily Mail, the CNI had also passed this information to the Moroccan intelligence services.
Sanchez has rejected the claim that the communications in question constituted an official warning about the scale of the incident that occurred.
Residents of Ceuta have also raised security concerns. British media report that the city has seen daily incidents of violence, attacks on soldiers and dozens of cases of sexual assault.
Ceuta Prosecutor Silvia Rojas said that crime had recorded an “exponential increase”, referring also to sexual assaults and incidents involving minors.
Public security experts have warned that tensions could escalate further.
Health problems and sanitary conditions in the makeshift camps are another source of concern. This week, a teenager from Morocco was diagnosed with monkeypox and isolated for treatment. In addition, at least five cases of tuberculosis have been reported among the migrants.
Ceuta’s regional president, Juan Jesús Vivas, has called on the European Union to provide greater support. He described the situation in the city as a “pressure cooker” that could explode at any moment.
“The city is completely different from what it was before this event. The people of Ceuta have lost their joy and their way of life has been completely shaken,” Vivas said during his speech before members of the European Parliament.
