A mob of migrants chanted “Allahu Akbar” in Arabic as they clashed with Spanish police in the Mediterranean enclave of Ceuta, a Spanish territory on Morocco’s coast. The confrontations occurred days after more than 60,000 people reportedly crossed the border into the same city.
Video footage from Sunday showed migrants carrying an injured individual while yelling the chant. The group, many with clenched fists, moved through the streets of Ceuta. This event followed a mass influx on Thursday, where tens of thousands of migrants swam from Morocco into the Spanish city, one of two European land borders in Africa. Reports indicate at least 72 people died during that crossing, either from drowning or stampedes.
The incident has raised concerns within the European Union due to the potential for migrants to travel within the Schengen Area, comprising 29 countries, without requiring visas or undergoing border checks. In response, Italy has revoked its Schengen agreement with Spain for one month, and France has increased its border security.
The large-scale migrant crossings are believed to have been prompted by viral social media posts in Morocco, which allegedly falsely claimed that migrants would be granted Spanish citizenship upon arrival. Additionally, Spain's leftist government had recently announced a program to grant work permits to an estimated 500,00 undocumented migrants already residing in the country between April and June.
According to official figures, Spain received the highest number of first-time asylum applications among EU member states in 2025, totaling 141,000, which represented approximately 21% of the EU total. The government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also issued the most first residence permits to non-EU citizens in 2024, with over 560,000 permits issued, accounting for 16% of the EU total despite Spain making up only 11% of the EU's population.
Following the crossings, some migrants were reportedly returned to Morocco, while others were sent to detention centers by the Spanish army. Despite these actions, some residents in Ceuta have reported that many migrants, predominantly young men, remain in the city, leading to public disturbances. Spanish authorities deployed hundreds of elite soldiers to regain control of the city. Hundreds of migrants also attempted to enter the Spanish territory of Melilla on the same day.
The situation in Ceuta has prompted other European nations to consider tightening their immigration policies. Former President Donald Trump described the scenes as a "catastrophe" and warned that the U.S. could face similar situations under Democratic leadership, referencing his predecessor Joe Biden's immigration policies.