Anti-migrant protesters clash with police in Cueta

Anti-migrant protests turned violent in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta as demonstrators clashed with police. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska called for calm and an end to violence, emphasizing that it was not the solution to the complex issues facing Ceuta. Since a mass influx in July, over 60,000 migrants have remained in the 80,000-person territory, with tensions escalating in recent days.

While most migrants have since left, thousands continue to wander the streets and sleep on beaches. The protests intensified, leading to clashes between protesters and police at a nearby beach where migrants were resting. During the confrontation, a soldier sustained injuries when migrants threw stones, and 12 Moroccan migrants were arrested.

Two additional arrests occurred when migrants attacked a police officer. Despite calls for peaceful protests demanding a return to normalcy, authorities warned that any acts of vandalism would be met with action, emphasizing that the defense of Ceuta and its people must be pursued through legality. Right-wing and far-right parties accused the government of inciting hatred and confrontation by demanding the deportation of all migrants.

The government warned that each individual must be identified to determine their asylum status or deportation eligibility, while unaccompanied migrant children require special protection. Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish territory in North Africa, serve as Europe's sole land border with the continent.