Thousands protest in Madrid over government’s handling of Ceuta migrant crisis

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Madrid on Saturday to voice their discontent with the Spanish government's response to the migrant crisis in Ceuta. The event saw an estimated 20,000 participants according to the central government's representative, while organisers claimed there were around 180,000 attendees. The protesters, many carrying Spanish flags, chanted "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta must be defended" and marched through the city's center.

Ceuta, a Spanish territory in North Africa, has been grappling with a humanitarian crisis since more than 70,000 migrants arrived from Morocco on July 30 and 31. Most of the migrants have since returned, but thousands remain in the city, overwhelming its resources and straining its infrastructure. This situation has sparked a political crisis for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The protest was organized by the right-leaning civil society platform Sociedad Civil Espanola and supported by the conservative People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox. The organizers called for an early general election by November 15, the return of all migrants to Morocco, and for Sanchez to be tried for treason.

The government plans to accelerate the return of migrants from Ceuta to Morocco in a decree expected to be approved at its Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. However, opposition parties like Vox remain skeptical, stating that the government has failed to address the crisis adequately despite increasing shelter capacity, deploying police officers and soldiers, and boosting funding for Ceuta.