Key facts
- Ceuta is installing protective barriers along the breakwater following a large migrant crossing.
- Local businesses have reopened but are operating with caution.
- The annual patron saint festivities in honor of the Virgin of Africa have been cancelled.
- An undetermined number of migrants remain in the streets, with some believed to be hiding.
- Residents expressed fear and uncertainty due to the large influx of people.
The Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta is working to regain a sense of calm and return to normality after a significant influx of migrants. Authorities have begun installing protective barriers along the breakwater where an estimated 60,000 people crossed irregularly. The effects of the crisis are still evident, with an unknown number of migrants remaining in the streets, some of whom are suspected of hiding with friends or relatives. Residents have described the situation as frightening, expressing relief at the arrival of the Armed Forces. Local businesses have resumed operations, though with caution, according to the Ceuta Business Confederation. The annual celebrations of Ceuta's patron saint, the Virgin of Africa, scheduled for Saturday, have been cancelled, contributing to a charged social atmosphere marked by fear, uncertainty, anger, and compassion. Some migrants expressed their desire to find a new life and are trying to get by despite the hardships, with some indicating they do not plan to leave Ceuta soon.