Mass Protest in Madrid for Solutions in Ceuta
On Sunday, over 30,000 people gathered peacefully in Madrid, calling for urgent action regarding the ongoing migrant situation in Ceuta, the Spanish exclave in North Africa. The protest marks nearly three months since the onset of a significant influx of illegal migrants into the region.
The demonstration was organized by Mujeres Caballas, a female-led civil organization that formed in response to the crisis that began in late July. This group describes itself as apolitical and multi-religious, aimed at uniting women who are committed to the wellbeing and future of their city.
Reportedly, Mujeres Caballas originated from women whose lives have been directly impacted by the migrant influx, affecting their families and communities. The organization’s members include mothers, healthcare workers, educators, and security personnel.
During the protest, participants urged the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to implement immediate measures to restore normalcy to Ceuta, where residents have been grappling with worsening living conditions due to the arrival of thousands of illegal migrants.
Juan Jesús Vivas, the head of Ceuta’s local government, attended the Madrid demonstration, having consistently criticized the existing situation in Ceuta in recent months. He told reporters that conditions have remained problematic and “absolutely unsustainable,” expressing the community’s legitimate indignation towards the Sánchez administration’s inaction.
Vivas mentioned that there are still around 15,000 illegal migrants in Ceuta, which represents about 20 percent of the city’s population, a troubling statistic given the circumstances.
He also highlighted that the continued presence of these migrants has led to a significant spike in crime—by 60 percent—and an alarming 400 percent increase in medical emergencies within local healthcare services. Additionally, the city’s GDP has dropped by five percent in the last three months due to the crisis, according to Vivas’ office.
The local leader criticized the Spanish central government for not executing any deportations of the encroaching migrants through administrative means, asserting that Sánchez had the resources at his disposal to address the situation but failed to act. “Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta is defended,” he passionately stated, calling for measures to ensure such a crisis doesn’t happen again.
“Together and united, we will move forward,” Vivas added, reflecting a sentiment of solidarity among the residents.
Maxi Lacasa, a police officer from Ceuta, voiced her frustrations about the inadequate security at the borders with Morocco during the rally, noting that only two civil guards are assigned to the area. She pointed out that there have been no solutions offered from the Spanish government in the past three months.
Lacasa insisted that Ceuta requires immediate support to ensure the deportation of migrants and an enhancement of border security through additional personnel, resources, and technology.
At the rally, the organizers presented a manifesto outlining nine critical demands directed at the Spanish government. These include enhancing border security, greater accountability from Spain and the EU regarding the city’s protection, quickened processes for deportation or voluntary migration of remaining migrants, and necessary reforms to Spanish migration laws. They stressed the immediate need to restore security and normalcy so that residents can reclaim their public spaces and daily lives.
The Spanish government has been given a 30-day period to begin implementing these solutions.
In addition to the Madrid protest, a similar peaceful demonstration occurred in Ceuta, in front of the central government delegation, where locals expressed their unified calls for constructive solutions to end the ongoing crisis.
Participants in the local protests expressed beliefs that the central government could have resolved the situation by now if there had been a genuine commitment to do so.
