CEUTA: Hundreds of migrants staged a protest in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta on Sunday, demanding asylum and urging authorities not to return them to Morocco following a mass border crossing two weeks ago.
The protesters gathered at El Trampolin beach carrying Spanish flags and banners calling for permission to remain in Spain.
An estimated 5,000 to 8,000 migrants remain in Ceuta after more than 72,000 people crossed into the enclave in late July. Most subsequently returned voluntarily.
Many of those remaining are living in difficult conditions on beaches or on the city’s outskirts as they seek opportunities to travel to mainland Europe.
Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said migrants who entered irregularly would generally not be permitted to stay in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain or receive legal status, except in cases of extreme vulnerability.
Health services under pressure
Ceuta’s healthcare system has come under increased pressure, with local medical officials reporting cases of infectious diarrhoea and scabies as well as injuries linked to violence.
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Health Minister Monica Garcia rejected claims that services had collapsed but acknowledged they were under strain. She said the risk of epidemic outbreaks was moderate among migrants and low for residents.
Migrants interviewed by the media cited economic hardship, conflict and persecution among their reasons for attempting to reach Europe.
Some said they were seeking employment and better living conditions, while others said they hoped to obtain asylum after fleeing insecurity or persecution in their home countries.
