Thousands of people have protested in cities across Spain, criticizing the government's response to a significant influx of migrants into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta.
Opposition parties accuse Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of abandoning the residents of Ceuta, while the government contends that right-wing parties are exploiting the situation. A police report indicated that Moroccan security forces showed "total permissiveness" during the unprecedented influx. However, Spanish officials have stated that Morocco did not orchestrate the mass crossing, attributing the event to trafficking gangs and misinformation on social media.
In late July, an estimated 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta. While most have since been returned, up to 5,000 remained in makeshift camps or were dispersed throughout the city, leading to unrest and a political crisis for Sánchez.
Demonstrations have occurred nearly daily, with locals calling for the migrants to be sent back to their countries of origin or redistributed across Spain. The recent rallies were organized by city councils in areas governed by or with significant support for the conservative Partido Popular (PP) and the far-right Vox party. Protesters demanded Sánchez's resignation.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo attended a rally in Madrid, which government figures estimated drew over 50,000 people. Feijóo stated, "A Spanish city has been invaded, occupied and, unfortunately, this happened with the knowledge of the Government of Spain." Vox leader Santiago Abascal criticized Sánchez, suggesting he acted as a "lackey, of the Moroccan regime."
A large rally also took place in Ceuta, where participants chanted, "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta must be defended." A teacher named David Hernandez described the government's response as "inadequate, late and, to top it all, has involved a complete dereliction of duty." He added, "We cannot be second-class citizens, and our border must not be sidelined."
Pressure on Sánchez's administration intensified following reports that a National Police report submitted to the National Court suggested the involvement of Moroccan gendarmes in the migrant crossings. The report noted a "clearly smaller than usual" Moroccan police presence at the border and cited migrants who described a "passive attitude" during the crossings. The report did not, however, definitively accuse Morocco of orchestrating the influx.