Hundreds of migrants who recently arrived in Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave, organized a demonstration on a popular urban beach on Sunday, calling on Spanish authorities to provide them with asylum rather than deporting them to Morocco. They represent a portion of the 5,000 to 8,000 individuals who remain in Ceuta following the large-scale border crossing two weeks ago, which witnessed over 72,000 people flooding into the small territory inhabited by around 80,000 residents. The majority of the migrants voluntarily returned in the subsequent days due to the strained resources in the city.
Living in precarious conditions on El Trampolin beach or the outskirts of the city while awaiting an opportunity to proceed to continental Europe, the migrants expressed their distress at their current situation. Ayoub Elarroud from Tetouan, Morocco, shared, “We’re sleeping next to the sea, with cold and bad smells. We’re suffering a lot,” highlighting the challenges they are facing, including being prevented by the police from accessing the city center.
The protesters displayed Spanish flags and banners with messages such as “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human,” voicing their grievances with slogans like “We’re tired” and “We need a solution.” Some migrants were seen washing clothes and fishing on the rocky shores behind them.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska recently stated that irregularly entered migrants would not be permitted to stay in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain, or acquire legal status, except in rare cases of extreme vulnerability. Ceuta’s health services are under immense strain, with limited healthcare workers exhausted and facing challenges including infectious diseases and violence-related injuries.
Despite the pressure on local health services, Health Minister Monica Garcia emphasized that they had not “collapsed,” though they were under stress. She denounced the unjust association of migration with illness, highlighting a moderate risk of epidemic outbreaks among migrants and a low risk for residents.
Many of the Moroccan migrants interviewed cited poor working conditions in their country as the driving force behind their migration, even with higher qualifications. Mohammed Ouanzar, an automation specialist from Fez, expressed the financial challenges in Morocco, with low salaries hindering his ability to secure a home or start a family. The migrants are eager to work in Europe for better opportunities, with some sharing harrowing journeys to reach Ceuta in pursuit of a brighter future.