Hundreds of migrants recently arrived in Ceuta, a North African enclave of Spain, took to a popular urban beach to protest on Sunday, calling on Spanish authorities to provide them with asylum instead of deporting them back to Morocco. These individuals are part of the 5,000 to 8,000 migrants who remain in Ceuta following the mass border crossing that occurred two weeks ago, during which over 72,000 people entered the territory, with the majority voluntarily returning in the subsequent days.
Due to the strain on the city’s resources, most migrants are living in precarious conditions on El Trampolin beach or the outskirts of the city as they await opportunities to travel to continental Europe. Ayoub Elarroud from Tetouan, Morocco, expressed the hardships they are facing, including sleeping by the sea in cold and unsanitary conditions, with police preventing them from accessing the city center.
During the protest, migrants displayed Spanish flags and banners with messages like “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human,” while chanting phrases such as “We’re tired” and “We need a solution.” On the rocky shores, some migrants were seen washing clothes or fishing using makeshift bamboo rods.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska recently stated that irregular migrants entering Ceuta would not be permitted to stay in the enclave, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except under exceptional circumstances involving extreme vulnerability.
Ceuta’s health services are under immense strain, with reports of diseases like infectious diarrhea and scabies spreading among the migrant population, along with an increase in violence-related injuries. Health Minister Monica Garcia denied claims that local health services had “collapsed” but acknowledged the pressure they are facing, emphasizing that associating migration with illness is unjust and xenophobic.
Many Moroccan migrants cited poor working conditions in their home country as the driving force behind their journey to Ceuta, despite holding higher qualifications. Some shared their experiences, like Mohammed Ouanzar, an automation specialist from Fez, who highlighted the financial struggles in Morocco, making it impossible for him to afford a home or start a family. Others, like Emmanuel from Nigeria, detailed their perilous journeys to seek a better life for their families.
Various migrants from different countries, like Mohammad Ismail Hossain from Bangladesh, who faced challenges during his extensive journey, and Ousmane from Senegal, seeking asylum due to persecution over his sexual orientation, reflected on their struggles while waiting for responses from local NGOs.
The influx of migrants into Ceuta has posed significant challenges, with humanitarian organizations stretched to their limits as they strive to address the needs of those seeking refuge in the Spanish enclave.