Key facts
- Clashes and arson attacks have occurred in Ceuta, a Spanish exclave.
- Thousands of migrants remain in Ceuta after a mass crossing from Morocco.
- Locals have protested, blocking aid distribution and setting fire to migrant camps.
- The Spanish government has centralized management of the crisis.
- Morocco has reiterated its claim to Ceuta.
Violence has erupted in Ceuta, a Spanish exclave in North Africa, as tensions escalate between locals and thousands of migrants who recently arrived from Morocco. Residents have expressed concerns about safety and the strain on public services, leading to protests that have become increasingly violent. Demonstrators have blocked aid distribution and set fire to migrant camps on Trampolín beach. The Spanish government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been accused by opposition parties of mismanaging the crisis. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska has criticized rhetoric that stigmatizes immigrants, while local representatives from the People's Party (PP) and Vox have accused the government of siding with migrants. The situation is further complicated by Morocco's longstanding claim to Ceuta, which it has reiterated recently, a claim Spain's Foreign Minister has rejected. The government has centralized management of the situation, overriding local authorities, amid plans to house migrants in public buildings, a move opposed by many locals and the mayor, Juan Jesús Vivas.