Ceuta: Tense scenes as police move migrants to temporary camp

There were tense scenes in Ceuta on Friday between police and a group of migrants, who were being moved to a temporary camp in the port area.

Police used batons against the group, which mainly consisted of young Moroccan men, who were being directed towards the port. The camp can hold some 1700 people, and its use was held up by a court decision that was reversed Thursday.

Migrants are set to be held in the camp for processing by police. The accommodation of thousands of migrants in the Spanish exclave after the mass crossing in late July has resulted in tensions between local authorities and the central government.

More than 70,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31, in an incident that left scores dead and prompted European infighting on the topic of immigration.

In the wake of the mass crossing, Ceuta is now grappling with a humanitarian crisis.