The migration crisis in Ceuta has led to new public order problems after several altercations between migrants, neighbors, and security forces. The National Police has already arrested 12 Moroccan citizens for their alleged participation in the attack against a military vehicle, while the Ministry of the Interior has announced the sending of 40 more riot police to the autonomous city.
The incidents occur almost a month after the mass entries recorded on July 30 and 31. Although most of the people who crossed the border later returned to Morocco, thousands of migrants continue in Ceuta and the resources set up to accommodate them remain under heavy pressure.
Twelve arrested for the attack on a military vehicle
The National Police arrested this Friday 12 Moroccan citizens for their alleged involvement in the attack suffered by a military vehicle during the early morning. According to a police spokesperson in Ceuta, a group of migrants threw stones and other objects at the vehicle, in which four soldiers were traveling.
The soldiers managed to leave the site and requested police intervention after one of the soldiers was lightly injured by the impact of a stone. Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of the attack and the possible individual responsibility of those arrested.
Protests interrupt Red Cross assistance
Tension has also moved to the areas where numerous migrants remain concentrated. Dozens of protesters participated in a sit-in to prevent Red Cross vehicles from reaching the beach of El Trampolín, where the organization distributes food and water.
The protest has forced a temporary interruption of the distribution, while other incidents were recorded during the afternoon of Friday on the beaches of El Trampolín and Benítez, such as the destruction of the improvised shelters by the migrants. Given the situation, the Police were forced to intervene to prevent direct confrontations.
After the altercations, the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz, has demanded that the threats against volunteers cease and has defended the work of humanitarian organizations. Saiz has described the Ceuta society as an example of "coexistence, solidarity, and serenity," while asking not to collectively blame either the neighbors or the migrants for the violent acts.
Interior sends another 40 riot police
The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, announced this Friday the sending of 40 agents from the Police Intervention Units to reinforce security and contain new disturbances. Before this last reinforcement, the Interior had estimated the deployment at 880 national police, 270 more than before the mass entries, and 714 civil guards. Part of the agents are dedicated to border surveillance, while others intervene in identification tasks, citizen security, and processing of files.
Days earlier, the Government declared the situation of interest for National Security in Ceuta, designating the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, as the functional authority to coordinate the response. The measure adopted has served to integrate state and autonomous resources under a common structure.
How many migrants remain in Ceuta
As of August 28, the exact number of people who continue in the city remains a subject of discrepancies, as the Interior estimates that around 5,000 migrants remain, while the estimates handled by the Ceuta authorities have ranged between 8,000 and 12,000. The discrepancies respond to the movements of entry and exit, returns, transfers, and the difficulties in completing identification.
In any case, Marlaska has raised to 1,898 the number of identified minors, who require a specific procedure different from others, as they cannot be returned automatically and must remain under protection while their age, identity, family situation, and possible transfer are determined.
The Executive has enabled temporary resources to decongest the beaches and other improvised settlements to thus concentrate humanitarian attention, improve sanitary conditions, and facilitate identification, asylum, or return procedures.
The Government defends collaboration with Morocco
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has described the collaboration with Morocco as "essential." According to the balance conveyed by the Government, this coordination allowed a wide majority of those who entered on July 30 and 31 to return in the following hours and contributed to thwarting a new mass attempt in mid-August.
The Moroccan security forces have reinforced controls in Fnideq, that is, Castillejos, and on the access roads to the border. During the attempted entry on August 15, Morocco intercepted hundreds of people before they reached the border perimeter.
Albares has assured that the dialogue with Rabat has remained active from the very first moment. He has also reiterated the Spanish Government's rejection of the Moroccan claims regarding Ceuta and Melilla, a different issue from the operational cooperation to control migratory movements.
The Ceuta Assembly condemns violence
The Ceuta Assembly has unanimously approved an institutional declaration condemning violence and supporting the security forces, public services, and humanitarian organizations.
The document warns that the city is in a critical situation and demands sufficient resources to restore normalcy. The groups represented in the Assembly have also requested that individual incidents not be used to fuel confrontations between communities.