Clashes erupted between demonstrators and police in central Madrid following a major protest over the Spanish government’s response to the migrant crisis engulfing Ceuta.
The small Spanish enclave on the North African coast has been under intense pressure since an estimated 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco in late July. While many have since returned or been removed, thousands reportedly remain in the territory, placing heavy demands on accommodation, sanitation and other public services.
Wednesday’s demonstration outside Madrid City Hall drew tens of thousands of people, with estimates ranging from 50,000 to 150,000. The gathering formed part of events across Spain marking Ceuta Day and expressing solidarity with residents of the enclave.
The situation deteriorated after several hundred protesters moved towards the Spanish parliament. Police said officers were targeted with thrown objects, prompting riot units to deploy tear gas and rubber bullets. Four people were arrested and several police officers were injured, according to Spanish news agency EFE.
Much of the protesters’ anger was directed at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his left-wing government. Crowds chanted demands for Sanchez to resign, while some demonstrators accused his administration of failing to protect Spain’s borders.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal declared that Ceuta had been “abandoned and betrayed,” arguing that the turmoil should serve as a warning about the consequences of Madrid’s migration policies elsewhere in the country.
Sanchez has described the mass crossing as a “violation of Spain’s territorial integrity” and promised tighter border controls. Speaking in parliament on Thursday, however, he conceded that the authorities’ response “has not been sufficient.” He attributed the scale of the influx partly to trafficking organisations and misleading information spread through social media.
Pressure has also intensified within Ceuta itself. Residents have demanded quicker removals and stronger intervention from Madrid as authorities contend with overcrowding, sanitation difficulties and reported disease outbreaks. Police have also been investigating a number of violent and sexual offences linked to the period of upheaval.
Questions have meanwhile emerged over Morocco’s role. A police intelligence report submitted to a Spanish court reportedly alleged that suspected Moroccan officers directed migrants towards crossing points, although investigators stopped short of concluding that Rabat had orchestrated the influx.
The crisis is also creating friction within the European Union. Brussels has publicly expressed solidarity with Spain, while some European political leaders have criticised Sanchez’s migration policies and raised the prospect of consequences involving Spain’s participation in the Schengen system.
