Hundreds of Migrants in Ceuta Protest Demanding Right to Asylum

Al-Taj News –

Hundreds of migrants who recently entered the Spanish-controlled city of Ceuta protested on Sunday on one of the city’s popular beaches, calling on Spanish authorities to grant them the right to asylum instead of returning them to Morocco.

The protesters are among an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 migrants who remain in Ceuta following a wave of mass border crossings two weeks ago, during which more than 72,000 people entered the small enclave, which has a population of around 80,000. Most of those who arrived returned voluntarily in the following days.

Poor Conditions

With the city’s resources under significant pressure, most migrants are living in poor conditions on El Tarajal beach or on the outskirts of the city, waiting for an opportunity to move to mainland Europe.

Protesters waved Spanish flags and held signs reading “We are human too,” while chanting slogans including “We are tired” and “We want a solution.” Ayoub Al-Aroud, who came from the Moroccan city of Tetouan, said: “We sleep by the sea in the cold and amid foul smells. We are suffering a lot,” adding that police prevent migrants from going to the city center.

The head of Ceuta’s medical authority told Onda Cero radio that the city’s limited healthcare workers were suffering from exhaustion, criticizing what he described as the central government’s slow response to the crisis.

He added that diseases such as infectious diarrhea and scabies had begun to spread, while injuries related to acts of violence, including broken noses and stab wounds, had increased.

“Linking Migration to Disease Is Unjust”

Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia rejected claims on Sunday that local health services had “collapsed,” but acknowledged that they were facing increasing pressure.

Speaking to reporters in Ceuta, she said that “linking migration to disease is unjust and xenophobic,” adding that the risk of disease outbreaks among migrants remained moderate, while it remained low among the local population.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said last week that migrants who entered irregularly would not be allowed to remain in Ceuta, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except in rare cases involving serious danger.