Hundreds of migrants who recently arrived in Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave, gathered for a demonstration on a popular urban beach, calling on Spanish authorities to grant them asylum instead of returning them to Morocco. They were part of the 5,000 to 8,000 migrants who remained in Ceuta following the mass border crossing two weeks ago, which saw over 72,000 people enter the small territory with a population of around 80,000. Most of the migrants, facing limited resources in the city, were living in challenging conditions on El Trampolin beach or in the outskirts, hoping for an opportunity to move on to continental Europe.
Ayoub Elarroud from Tetouan, Morocco, expressed the hardships they were facing, sleeping near the sea in cold and unpleasant conditions, with police preventing them from accessing the city center. The protesters displayed Spanish flags and banners with messages such as “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human,” while voicing their exhaustion and the need for a solution.
Meanwhile, Ceuta’s health services were strained, with the head of the medical board highlighting the exhaustion of the limited healthcare workers and criticizing the slow response from the central government. He mentioned outbreaks of diseases like infectious diarrhea and scabies, along with an increase in injuries from violence.
Despite the challenges, Health Minister Monica Garcia denied that local health services had collapsed but acknowledged the pressure they were under. She emphasized that linking migration to illness was unjust and xenophobic, noting a moderate risk of epidemic outbreaks among migrants. Additionally, many Moroccan migrants cited poor working conditions in their country as the driving force behind their journey, with some expressing their determination to work in Europe for a better future.
Various migrants shared their stories of hardship and perilous journeys to Ceuta, including individuals from Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Senegal, highlighting reasons such as political unrest, economic struggles, and persecution. Despite the difficulties, these migrants remained hopeful for a better life and expressed their willingness to work and contribute positively to their new surroundings.