The National Police had to act this Monday morning in the area of Loma Colmenar, in Ceuta, after several hundred migrants of Maghreb origin, who had been camping outside the enclosure for days, attempted to access the interior in a group.
In response to the attempt of mass entry, a large police deployment has been activated. The agents have carried out charges to contain those gathered and have fired warning shots to regain control of the area.
The episode occurred after some migrants managed to breach access to the enclosure. The entry of these people caused those who had been waiting for hours in line outside to try to advance all at once, resulting in a stampede in which the migrants themselves ended up pushing and confronting each other.
With the increase in tension, the police forces intervened to separate several of those involved and try to contain the situation. Subsequently, the operation began to evict the people who were still outside, many of whom had spent the night in the area waiting to be able to enter.
The National Police has cut off the access road and has set up controls at the main entry points to Loma Colmenar to prevent the concentration from continuing to increase. The agents have proceeded to disperse the migrants, who have been forced to leave the area with their belongings.
Transfer from the Trampolín beach
The origin of this accumulation of people is in the transfer of hundreds of migrants from the Trampolín beach to the area designated as a holding area in Loma Colmenar.
The Government has prepared this space to accommodate some of those who remained on the coast, but as the days went by, other migrants have been approaching the surroundings with the intention of trying to enter the enclosure.
This Monday, around 400 people accessed, according to the data provided about the operation. Once the expected capacity limit was reached, those who were still outside also tried to enter, which ultimately led to the recorded incidents.
In recent days, the esplanade has transformed into an improvised camp. Migrants have spent the night there, occupying the edges of the area and spreading along the access road. The massive presence of people has generated discomfort and conflicts in the vicinity of the residential areas of Loma Colmenar and the University Hospital of Ceuta.
The situation has forced a permanent reinforcement of the presence of police units in the surroundings, with the aim of preventing the concentration outside from completely blocking access and ensuring the safety of both the migrants and the neighbors and workers in the area.