Hundreds of migrants who recently arrived in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta took to a popular urban beach on Sunday to protest and appeal to Spanish authorities for asylum instead of being sent back to Morocco. These individuals are part of the 5,000 to 8,000 migrants who remain in Ceuta following the mass border crossing that occurred two weeks ago, during which over 72,000 people entered the small territory with a population of about 80,000. While the majority of the migrants voluntarily returned in the days that followed, those left behind are living in difficult conditions on El Trampolin beach and the outskirts of the city, hoping for an opportunity to continue their journey to mainland Europe.
One migrant, Ayoub Elarroud from Tetouan, Morocco, expressed the challenges they are facing, mentioning that they are sleeping near the sea in harsh conditions and feeling a lot of suffering. The protesters displayed Spanish flags and held banners with messages like “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human,” while voicing their exhaustion and need for a solution.
The migrants on the beach engaged in activities like washing clothes and fishing with makeshift bamboo rods. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated earlier in the week that irregularly entering migrants would not be permitted to stay in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except in rare cases of extreme vulnerability.
Ceuta’s health services are under strain, as highlighted by Enrique Roviralta, the head of the city’s medical board, who mentioned the exhaustion of limited healthcare workers and the rise in diseases and violence-related injuries among the migrant population. Health Minister Monica Garcia acknowledged the pressure on local health services but refuted claims of a collapse, emphasizing the unjustness and xenophobia of associating migration with illness.
Several Moroccan migrants shared their motivations for seeking a better life in Europe due to poor working conditions in their home country. They expressed their willingness to work hard and contribute to society, with one migrant, Emmanuel, fleeing conflict in Nigeria to provide a better future for his children. The migrants’ stories depict the struggles and hopes of individuals seeking asylum and opportunities in Ceuta.