Tense scenes unfolded on Friday in the streets of Ceuta, when thousands of migrants began moving en masse toward the new reception center set up near the port. Spanish authorities had launched an operation to relocate those who were still living in makeshift conditions on the beaches; but a large number of people rushed to the new camp in an effort to secure a spot.

The operation began around 6:30 a.m. local time, with police gathering the migrants, according to a Spanish government source in Ceuta.

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During the process, however, overcrowding and chaos ensued, as many of those who had spent weeks on the beaches attempted to reach the new site.

Spanish authorities report that the camp has tents for approximately 1,700 people, and that beds have been set up and shower facilities are available.

Videos recorded during the operation show large crowds running through the streets, with many shouting and cheering as they head toward the reception center.

According to local media, the National Police and riot control units had to intervene to bring the situation under control, and there are also reports of tear gas being used.

The Spanish government decided to proceed with the transfer of the migrants despite the objections raised by local authorities.

Approximately 13,000 people remain in Ceuta

The situation in the Spanish enclave in North Africa began to deteriorate in late July, when tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta.

Most returned, but according to local authorities, approximately 13,000 people remained in the area. Many of them were forced to take shelter in makeshift camps and on the beaches.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has faced intense criticism over his government’s handling of the situation. He rejects the accusation that the situation was mishandled, arguing that the relevant authorities were faced with a number of arrivals they could not handle.

In a television appearance on September 14, the Spanish prime minister admitted that the authorities were overwhelmed by the number of migrants arriving in Ceuta. He also stated that the government’s goal is to have the situation under control by the end of the year, asking for patience from the city’s approximately 84,000 residents.

At the same time, questions have arisen regarding whether—and to what extent—the Spanish government had been informed in advance of the mass arrivals.

Initially, Spanish authorities reported that there had been no advance warning. On August 25, the government delegation in Ceuta had stated that it had no information about what was going to happen on July 30.

Later, however, the government released 40 previously classified communications, which revealed that Spain’s National Intelligence Center (CNI) had reported on July 29 that there were organized attempts to enter Ceuta both by land and by sea.

One of these messages referred to a call on social media for a mass crossing attempt the following night, and the CNI had also passed on this information to Moroccan intelligence services, according to the Daily Mail.

Sánchez, however, rejected the interpretation that these specific messages constituted an official warning regarding the scale of what followed.

“The WhatsApp messages are not proof that there was a warning—quite the opposite,” he said.

Concerns about safety and sanitary conditions

At the same time, according to the British newspaper’s report, residents of Ceuta are expressing concerns about safety, citing daily incidents of violence, attacks against military personnel, and dozens of sexual assaults.

The public prosecutor of Ceuta, Silvia Rojas, has spoken of an “exponential increase” in crime, referring, among other things, to sexual assaults, including incidents involving minors.

At the same time, public safety experts who spoke to the Spanish newspaper “El Mundo” warned of the risk of further escalation of tensions.

Health conditions in the makeshift camps are also described as difficult. A teenager from Morocco tested positive for monkeypox this week and was placed in isolation, where he is receiving treatment. In addition, at least five cases of tuberculosis have been reported among migrants.

The regional president of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, who likened the situation in the region to a “pressure cooker” that could explode at any moment.

“The city is completely different from what it was before this incident. The residents of Ceuta have lost their joy, and their way of life has been completely shattered,” he told Members of the European Parliament.

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Source: PROTO THEMA