‘Fighting to the death’ - Migrants scramble for space in Ceuta
Key Takeaways
- Hundreds tried to enter Ceuta's Loma Colmenar reception centre.
- Police dispersed the crowd after clashes and fired warning shots.
- Ceuta's temporary accommodation capacity is expected to reach 6,000 places.
Spanish police dispersed hundreds outside a temporary reception centre as migrants competed for limited accommodation following a surge in arrivals.
Hundreds of migrants were cleared from outside a temporary reception centre in Ceuta on Monday after crowds tried to force their way inside, leading to clashes and a major police operation.
Police vans patrolled around the Loma Colmenar site as officers moved migrants away from the facility. Some people were seen sitting on the ground under police guard, while others ran past police vehicles.
The unrest erupted as authorities began allowing more migrants into the temporary facility, where many had been sleeping outside while waiting for accommodation.
One Moroccan migrant described the scramble to secure a place inside.
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"As you've seen, everyone is pushing each other, fighting to the death for a spot—everyone wants to get in," he said.
"We've been coming here for a week or more, and we haven't seen any solution. We come here to sleep, and they kick us out. We don't understand any of this; we haven't seen any solution," he added.
Local media reported that order broke down when hundreds attempted to enter the centre at the same time. Police eventually dispersed the crowd and officers also fired warning shots into the air during the operation.
Some migrants were seen kneeling or lying face down during the police response, with one person crying and another having milk poured over his eyes.
Loma Colmenar is among several temporary reception sites opened after thousands of migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31, placing increased pressure on the Spanish enclave's reception system.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday that more than 3,300 temporary places were already available across Ceuta. He said capacity was expected to increase to 6,000.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
