Ceuta migrant transfer descends into chaos as port camp fills
Key Takeaways
- Police moved migrants from Ceuta's beach settlements towards temporary port accommodation.
- Crowds rushed towards the facility before officers reorganised the transfer into smaller groups.
- The port facility has space for roughly 1,700 people.
Police struggled to manage large crowds moving from beach settlements towards temporary accommodation at Ceuta’s port, with the operation marked by clashes and injuries.
A police operation to clear migrant settlements from two beaches in Ceuta was disrupted by tense scenes on Friday as large numbers of people attempted to reach temporary accommodation at the Spanish enclave’s port.
The relocation started at about 06:30 local time (04:30 GMT), with more than 240 police and Guardia Civil officers involved. Authorities were tasked with taking migrants from Trampolin and Benitez beaches to the port, a journey of roughly one to two kilometres.
Video from the operation shows people running towards designated meeting areas while officers try to manage their movement. Confrontations later occurred between police and some groups as the relocation continued.
Several people appeared to have been hurt during the disorder. One migrant was seen carrying an injured man, while another person had blood coming from his head.
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Crowds Split Into Smaller Groups
Authorities changed their approach after encountering difficulties controlling the number of people heading towards the port.
Instead of allowing migrants to arrive together, police separated them into smaller groups before continuing the movement towards the temporary site.
The accommodation problem remained, however. The port facility can hold around 1,800 people, while the number living at Trampolin and Benitez beaches was considerably higher.
By Friday afternoon, the camp had filled up and more than 2,000 migrants had gone back to the beach settlements.
Ceuta Faces Pressure After Mass Crossing
The operation follows the large movement of people into Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco on July 30 and 31, when more than 70,000 people crossed into the Spanish territory.
According to the Spanish government, more than 90 percent returned to Morocco within days. Thousands remained in Ceuta, leaving authorities working to increase available reception space.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
