Key facts
- Hundreds of migrants protested on a beach in Ceuta, Spain, demanding asylum.
- Migrants expressed a desire not to return to Morocco, holding Spanish flags and banners.
- The protest follows a mass border crossing two weeks prior, with thousands of migrants remaining in Ceuta.
- Migrants are living in precarious conditions, with local health services reporting strain and disease outbreaks.
- Spanish authorities stated that migrants entering irregularly would generally not be allowed to stay.
Hundreds of migrants who recently entered Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta staged a protest on a popular urban beach on Sunday, urging Spanish authorities to grant them asylum instead of sending them back to Morocco. They were among an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 who remain in Ceuta after a mass border crossing two weeks ago that saw over 72,000 people surge into the territory. With the city's resources overstretched, most migrants were living in precarious conditions on El Trampolin beach or the city's outskirts while awaiting a chance to journey on to continental Europe.
The protesters held up Spanish flags and banners reading "We don't want to go back to Morocco" and "We are also human", while chanting slogans such as "We're tired" or "We need a solution". Ayoub Elarroud, a migrant from Morocco's Tetouan, described their living conditions as difficult, with police blocking access to the city centre.
Earlier in the week, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that migrants who had entered irregularly would not be allowed to stay in the enclave, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except in rare cases of extreme vulnerability.
The head of Ceuta's medical board, Enrique Roviralta, told Onda Cero radio that healthcare workers were exhausted and criticised the central government's response. He reported outbreaks of diseases such as infectious diarrhoea and scabies, as well as rising violence-related injuries. Health Minister Monica Garcia acknowledged that local health services were under pressure but rejected suggestions they had "collapsed", adding there was a moderate risk of epidemic outbreaks for migrants and a low one for residents.
Most interviewed Moroccan migrants cited poor working conditions and low salaries in their country as their motivation for migrating. Mohammed Ouanzar, an automation specialist from Fez, stated that average monthly salaries of 3,000 dirham ($324) made it impossible to buy a home or start a family.
Emmanuel, an electrician from northeastern Nigeria, fled conflict and fears of kidnapping impacting his children's education. Mohammad Ismail Hossain left Bangladesh over two years ago, traversing multiple countries, and witnessed companions die of thirst. Ousmane from Senegal is seeking asylum due to persecution over his sexual orientation but has not yet received a reply from local NGOs.