Hundreds of migrants who recently arrived in Ceuta, a North African enclave of Spain, staged a demonstration on a popular beach, calling on Spanish authorities to grant them asylum instead of deporting them to Morocco. These migrants are part of the estimated 5,000 to 8,000 individuals who remain in Ceuta following a mass border crossing that occurred two weeks ago, involving over 72,000 people entering the small territory with a population of approximately 80,000. The majority of those who crossed voluntarily returned in the subsequent days.
Facing strained resources in the city, most migrants are living in precarious conditions on El Trampolin beach or the outskirts of the city while waiting for an opportunity to travel to mainland Europe. Ayoub Elarroud from Tetouan, Morocco, expressed the challenges they are facing, mentioning sleeping by the sea in cold conditions and unpleasant odors, with authorities restricting their access to the city center.
During the protest, migrants displayed Spanish flags and banners with messages such as “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human,” while chanting phrases like “We’re tired” and “We need a solution.” Some migrants were seen washing clothes or fishing on the rocky shores behind them.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated earlier that irregularly arriving migrants would not be allowed to stay in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except in rare cases of extreme vulnerability. Ceuta’s health services are under strain, with the head of the medical board mentioning exhaustion among limited healthcare workers and a slow response from the central government, resulting in outbreaks of diseases like infectious diarrhea and scabies, as well as an increase in violence-related injuries.
Health Minister Monica Garcia denied claims of health services collapsing but acknowledged the pressure they are under. She emphasized that associating migration with illness is unjust and xenophobic, noting a moderate risk of epidemic outbreaks among migrants and a low risk among residents. Many Moroccan migrants cited poor working conditions as the driving force behind their journey, with individuals like Mohammed Ouanzar and Emmanuel sharing their struggles and aspirations for a better life in Europe.