Children in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta returned to school under heavy security on 8 September 2026, with soldiers and police guarding classrooms and bus routes after a mass migration crisis that has gripped the North African territory. Teachers have reported homeless migrants defecating and urinating outside school gates, while worried parents have equipped their daughters with pepper spray, saying they no longer trust the authorities to keep them safe. The situation highlights ongoing tensions in Ceuta following an influx of migrants and has become a flashpoint in Spain's wider debate over migration policy.

It has been 40 days since around 70,000 North African migrants crossed onto Ceuta's beaches, and although most have since returned to Morocco, between 3,500 and 7,000 remain, many sleeping rough on beaches and playgrounds. Parents cited near-daily reports of violence, including attacks on the military and sexual assaults, with one mother telling Antena 3 that pepper spray supplies in the enclave had "run out". Some schools have hired private security, and the Ceuta government has delayed the reopening of state nurseries until 28 September. The unrest follows nationwide protests in Spain against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's handling of the crisis.