NewzCEUTA, Spain (AP) — The city of Ceuta, a tiny speck of Spanish territory perched on the northern African coast, normally celebrates its Sept. 2 annual official holiday largely ignored by the mainland.But not this year, after Ceuta became the epicenter of Spain's worst border crisis in living memory.In lieu of festivities, thousands took to the streets Wednesday across Spain to protest the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, demanding solutions and blaming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for his government's handling of it.Waving Spanish flags, they shouted “A united Ceuta will never be defeated," and “Invaders — go home!” referring to the thousands of migrants still in the city.A border rush and the falloutLast month, about 72,000 people poured into the small Spanish territory neighboring Morocco, with at least 90 dying in the effort to reach Europe.Most of the migrants quickly returned or were ushered back over the border, but around 5,000, including 1,200 minors, remain in Ceuta weeks later, according to the national government. Difficult questions likewise linger over what caused the mass crossing that the government says was fueled by an online campaign on social media.The sudden influx of tens of thousands of migrants into Ceuta, which has a population of about 84,000, put a huge strain on resources and angered many residents.
Local authorities said that Spain's central government ignored warning signs before the border was breached.“What happened to us was not a migratory crisis,” Ceuta's regional leader, Juan Jesús Vivas, said during an institutional act on Wednesday to mark the holiday. “What happened was the violation of Spain's territorial integrity.”Vivas is a member of Spain's leading conservative Popular Party which, with Spain's far-right Vox party, has latched onto the Ceuta crisis and made it the focus of a political fight to oust the left-wing government in Madrid.Protests called against governmentThe organizer of Wednesday's protests in Madrid and more than 200 other towns is the officially nonpartisan Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces. But the protests are being promoted by PP and Vox, which is strongly against irregular migration.Spain’s minister of territorial policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, told Spanish National Radio that the protests were politically motivated.“This is not to show support for the city of Ceuta or its res…
2 all on its own, ignored by the mainland. Not this year, not after Ceuta became the epicenter of Spain’s worst border crisis in living memory. What would’ve been the city’s annual day of celebration is instead overshadowed by a humanitarian crisis that is generating tensions in the tiny exclave, on the mainland and even spilling over into other countries.
In lieu of festivities in Ceuta, a protest is the main event. There are also demonstrations planned in cities across Spain, whose prime minister has alleged — without presenting any evidence to the public — that other nations spread disinformation to cause the crisis. A border rush and the fallout Last month, about 72,000 people poured into the small Spanish territory neighboring Morocco, with at least 90 dying in the effort to reach Europe.
Most of the migrants quickly returned or were ushered back over the border, but around 5,000, including 1,200 minors, remain in Ceuta weeks later, according to the national government. The sudden influx of tens of thousands of migrants into Ceuta, which has a population of about 84,000, put a huge strain on resources and angered many residents. “What happened to us was not a migratory crisis,” Ceuta’s regional leader, Juan Jesús Vivas, said during an institutional act on Wednesday to mark the holiday.
The PP and Spain’s far-right Vox party have latched onto the Ceuta crisis and made it the focus of a political fight to oust the left-wing government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid. Protests called against government The organizer of Wednesday’s protests scheduled at 8 p.m. in Madrid and more than 200 other towns is the officially nonpartisan Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces.
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