Ceuta protests escalate as police fire shots at migrant camp

Ceuta has endured two consecutive nights of protests over the migrant crisis, culminating in police firing warning shots to prevent residents from dismantling makeshift shelters at Playa del Trampolín. The unrest reflects deep frustration among locals who feel abandoned by the state nearly a month after a mass border crossing.

The protests

On Wednesday, thousands of residents marched through the city, chanting "Ceuta no se vende, Ceuta se defiende" and "Ceuta no es un CETI," demanding the expulsion of migrants and the resignation of national leaders Source: La Voz del Interior. Some protesters breached police lines and attempted to tear down tents and throw belongings into the sea, prompting officers to fire warning shots Source: Infobae. The previous night, police used rubber bullets and tear gas during a Red Cross food distribution after clashes among migrants Source: El Confidencial.

Local anger

Residents express a sense of abandonment. Jorge Rafael, a retired resident living near the beach, has surrounded his home with razor wire and keeps stones to throw at migrants, saying, "Aquí nadie atiende... Me tengo que defender solo" Source: El Español. Some locals have discussed forming "grupos de autodefensa," as they did in late July Source: ABC.

Government response

The government has created a unified command led by Minister Ángel Víctor Torres and expanded reception capacity, but many migrants remain on the streets Source: El Mundo. The president of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, met with the attorney general and former prime minister Aznar Source: Infobae. Meanwhile, journalists covering the protests have been harassed, drawing condemnation from press freedom groups Source: Euronews.

Disagreements

Sources differ on the scale of the migrant influx: El Español reports 80,000 crossed, while La Vanguardia mentions 141 deaths during the crossing, a figure not corroborated elsewhere Source: El Español, La Vanguardia. The number of migrants currently in Ceuta remains disputed.