More than two thousand residents of Ceuta gathered this Wednesday afternoon in front of the Government Delegation to show their rejection of the management that the central Executive is carrying out regarding the migration crisis and to denounce what they call "inaction" in the face of the situation that the city is experiencing. The protest, which began at 6:00 PM in front of the Military Hospital, has seen an increasing number of attendees as the march progressed from different points in the municipality.
The attendees came with flags of Spain and Ceuta and throughout the afternoon chanted slogans such as "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta defends itself" and "Ceuta is not a CETI," in addition to demanding the resignation of the Government delegate in Ceuta, Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano, and the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
The demonstration started in the O'Donnell neighborhood, in front of the Military Hospital, one of the spaces designated by the central Government within the reception device designed after the massive entry of migrants recorded at the end of July. The participants expressed their opposition to this and other points in the city being used to house migrant people.
From that place, the citizens began a march towards the Puertas del Campo, where new demonstrators joined before continuing to the vicinity of the Government Delegation. This mobilization continues from the one held on Tuesday, when hundreds of residents of Ceuta marched through several neighborhoods to convey their dissatisfaction with the management of the migration crisis.
Upon arriving at the Delegation, the concentration grew in size, surpassing two thousand people in front of the building and shouting slogans against the actions of the central Executive. The attendees denounced the "inaction of the Government" and demanded a response that would allow for addressing the situation of the migrant people who remain in Ceuta after the crisis.
Protests in the street while a security meeting was held
The concentration coincided with a national security meeting that was taking place inside the Government Delegation to address precisely the consequences of the migration crisis. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Territorial Policy and coordinator of the single command, Ángel Víctor Torres, along with the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz.
In the meeting, representatives from the different ministries involved in managing the crisis and members of the Government of the Autonomous City of Ceuta have participated, with the aim of coordinating the measures implemented after the massive arrival of migrant people at the end of July.
While the meeting was taking place, the National Police deployed a security device at the entrances to the Government Delegation to control access to the building and prevent any of those gathered from trying to enter the interior. The agents have reinforced surveillance at the doors due to the large influx of citizens in the area.
Throughout the time the meeting lasted, the protesters maintained their slogans against the political leaders responsible for managing the crisis, reiterating the demand for the resignation of Pérez Triano and Pedro Sánchez. Likewise, they expressed their rejection of Ceuta continuing to be used as a reception point and demanded that the solution, in their opinion, involves the relocation of the migrant people who still remain in the city.
The mobilization takes place a day after the neighborhood protests on Tuesday and after the clarifications from the central Government, which specified that facilities such as sports centers or other equipment included in the Royal Decree approved by the Council of Ministers would only be used in exceptional situations and by agreement with the affected administrations.
Despite these explanations, a part of the Ceuta population maintains its discontent and has intensified protests in recent days over the migratory situation and the fear that public spaces and other infrastructures in the city will be allocated for the reception of migrants.