Spain: Tens of Thousands Rally over Ceuta Crisis
Tensions continue over migrants still stranded in Ceuta, Spain, and the Sanchez government's handling of the fallout.
Tens of thousands of individuals protested in Spain over the ongoing border crisis in Ceuta and the handling of the situation by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's left-wing government. The demonstrations occurred on Ceuta's annual official holiday, turning the celebration into a political event. Authorities reported around 50,000 participants at the Madrid rally, with similar turnouts in cities like Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville.
Territorial policy minister Angel Victor Torres dismissed the protests as politically motivated, aimed at attacking Spain's government rather than supporting Ceuta's residents. Despite this, the government allocated €309 million ($357 million) to support the city's social services and security infrastructure. Police were reported to have dispersed crowds with rubber bullets and tear gas after the Madrid demonstration.
Opposition parties seized the opportunity to criticize the government's performance in handling the crisis, accusing Sanchez's administration of appeasing Morocco. Many migrants, including unaccompanied minors, remain on the streets and beaches, awaiting shelter, registration, and a solution to return to Morocco or move to Europe.
Ceuta's mayor, Juan Jesus Vivas, urged the central government to reinforce the border with Morocco to prevent potential political manipulation of migration. Prime Minister Sanchez assured his government was utilizing all available resources to restore tranquility for Ceuta's residents.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
