Residents of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta took to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the way the central government in Madrid is managing the current crisis. The protests, which coincided with Ceuta Day, were marked by the presence of Spanish flags, with participants chanting slogans such as 'Ceuta is not for sale' and 'Ceuta must be defended'.
One of the key demands of those gathered was an immediate response to security challenges, leading to demonstrations with banners reading 'SOS, Europe, save us from our own government'. Some demonstrators directly called for the expulsion of intruders, while others directed their anger at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, calling for his resignation due to inaction in handling the crisis.
The reason for this mass mobilisation is the fact that at least 72,000 people have entered the enclave of Ceuta following the opening of borders. In the enclave, there are currently more than 10,000 migrants, including unaccompanied minors, who are staying in makeshift camps on the streets and beaches. Residents are calling for the government to intervene immediately, either by returning the migrants to their countries or by redistributing them across other parts of Spain, in order to reduce demographic and social tension at local level.
Similar demonstrations were held simultaneously in other major Spanish cities, including Madrid and Barcelona, highlighting widespread social discontent. Despite this, counter-protests are taking place on the streets. Left-wing associations and trade unions have organised their own actions, condemning the protesters' actions as expressions of racism and the persecution of Muslims, further highlighting the division in society on this issue.
