Hundreds of migrants who recently arrived in Ceuta, a North African enclave of Spain, gathered for a demonstration on a popular urban beach, calling on Spanish authorities to provide them with asylum instead of deporting them to Morocco. These migrants are part of the 5,000 to 8,000 individuals who are still in Ceuta following the mass border crossing that occurred two weeks ago, during which over 72,000 people entered the small territory with a population of approximately 80,000. The majority of those who crossed voluntarily returned in the days that followed.
Facing strained resources in the city, most migrants are residing in challenging conditions on El Trampolin beach or on the outskirts of the city while hoping for an opportunity to continue their journey to mainland Europe. Ayoub Elarroud from Tetouan, Morocco, expressed the hardships they are enduring, including sleeping by the sea in uncomfortable conditions and being prevented by the police from accessing the city center.
The protesters displayed Spanish flags and banners with messages such as “We don’t want to go back to Morocco” and “We are also human,” while chanting slogans like “We’re tired” and “We need a solution.” Some migrants were seen washing clothes or fishing with makeshift bamboo rods on the rocky shores behind the protest.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated earlier that irregularly arrived migrants would not be permitted to stay in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except in rare cases of extreme vulnerability. Ceuta’s medical board chief, Enrique Roviralta, highlighted the exhaustion of the city’s limited healthcare workers, noting the emergence of diseases like infectious diarrhea and scabies, as well as an increase in violence-related injuries.
Health Minister Monica Garcia responded to concerns about the strain on local health services, stating that while they have not collapsed, they are under significant pressure. She emphasized that linking migration to illness is unfair and xenophobic, mentioning a moderate risk of epidemics among migrants and a low risk for residents.
Many Moroccan migrants interviewed revealed that they were driven to leave their country due to poor working conditions, despite having higher qualifications. One migrant, Mohammed Ouanzar, cited the impossibility of affording a home or starting a family with the average monthly salary in Morocco. Another migrant, Emmanuel, who fled conflict in Nigeria, embarked on a dangerous journey to provide a better life for his children, expressing willingness to take any job offered to him.
The stories of migrants like Mohammad Ismail Hossain from Bangladesh, who traveled through multiple countries facing hardships, and Ousmane from Senegal, who sought asylum due to persecution over his sexual orientation, underscore the diverse struggles and motivations behind their journeys. REWRITE_BLOCKED: The request is to rewrite content that could be considered sensitive or inappropriate.