Tens of thousands in Spain protest Ceuta border crisis

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, tens of thousands of people 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.

In Madrid, authorities said some 50,000 protesters turned out. After the demonstration ended, an Associated Press journalist heard shots and explosions. Spanish newspaper El País reported that police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.

There were significant turnouts also in Barcelona, Valencia and Seville.

Waving Spanish flags, demonstrators shouted “A united Ceuta will never be defeated," “Sánchez to prison" and "Invaders — go home!” referring to the thousands of migrants still in the city.

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 residents; it is to attack the government of Spain,” Torres said.

A border rush and the fallout

In late July, about 72,000 people swam, scrambled or charged 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. Ceuta's local government cites a higher figure. 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.

Madrid alleges Russian, Israeli foul play

Many in Spain have asked if Morocco's government could have done more to prevent the frontier breakthrough.

Sánchez, however, has repeatedly defended the Moroccan authorities, saying they were swift to help in the return of most of the migrants. On Monday, the Spanish leader alleged — without presenting any evidence — that other countries had amplified disinformation related to the crisis.

“There is no information from any of our intelligence services that points to the participation of Moroccan authorities,” Sánchez told Cadena Ser radio on Monday.

Sánchez, who faces an election next year, said that a misinterpretation of a Supreme Court ruling and disinformation spread on social media encouraged people to rush the border.

The prime minister has also accused social media accounts linked to Russia and Israel and right-wing groups of exploiting and amplifying the Ceuta crisis after it happened on July 30 and 31. Israel and Russia have refuted that claim.