Authorities in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave, have requested assistance from Madrid to send military forces and declare a national emergency following a large influx of individuals into the region. Footage captured at Tarajal beach depicted crowds, primarily comprising Moroccan nationals, traversing breakwaters and sprinting along beaches and roads, with some chanting “Viva Espana!”
The surge in migrants attempting to enter the small exclave, notably through swimming, has led to heightened tensions at the border between Spain and Morocco. According to TVE, Spain’s national broadcaster, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people have entered Ceuta.
This development follows the border crisis of May 2021, during which over 8,000 migrants entered Ceuta within a span of two days. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged an immediate response to the current situation.
Juan Jesus Vivas, the head of the Ceuta regional government, urged the national government in Madrid to declare a national emergency citing national security concerns and requesting additional police presence and army deployment at the border to ensure frontier integrity and public safety.
Vivas also highlighted the strain on migrant reception facilities, noting that hundreds of individuals were forced to sleep on the streets. While Spain’s central government announced that Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the interior minister, would visit Ceuta on Friday, no declaration of a national emergency has been made as of now.