Protesters Clash with Police and Burn Migrant Camp in Ceuta

Protesters in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta set fire to a migrant camp and clashed with police on Thursday. The unrest follows a mass influx of more than 70,000 migrants from Morocco in July. Footage showed demonstrators on a beach throwing objects into fires while police pushed them back and migrants retreated to a pier. Earlier in the day, approximately 70 people attacked a military vehicle with stones and other objects. Demonstrators waving Spanish flags also attempted to block Red Cross vehicles from distributing food to migrants, shouting that the migrants and the Red Cross should leave.

Estimates regarding the number of migrants remaining in Ceuta vary. The government in Madrid reports fewer than 7,000 people, while Ceuta officials estimate the number is at least 10,000. These migrants currently live on the streets or on the beach. In response to the crisis, Madrid has increased funding for unaccompanied minors and accelerated the process of identifying migrants for repatriation to Morocco.

The situation has intensified political divisions in Spain ahead of next year's general elections. Conservative opposition members have accused Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of failing to act and abandoning the residents of Ceuta. While the government has sought cooperation with the PP to stop the violence, the conservative opposition continues to call for a tougher stance on migration. The crisis has also caused tension within the European Union regarding the appropriate response.