Thousands protest Sánchez’s response to Ceuta migrant crossing

← Back to the feed

Thousands protest Sánchez’s response to Ceuta migrant crossing

BBC World · 3 hours ago

Thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid, Ceuta and other Spanish cities to protest against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's handling of a mass migrant crossing into the North African exclave of Ceuta. Opposition parties accuse Sánchez's government of abandoning Ceuta's residents, while officials say right-wing groups are exploiting the crisis for political gain, with the dispute intensifying after a police report suggested Moroccan security forces showed "total permissiveness" during the influx, contradicting Sánchez's earlier insistence that Morocco bore no responsibility.

At least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on 30–31 July, with around 5,000 still living in makeshift camps or on the streets weeks later. Wednesday's rallies were organised by councils controlled by the conservative Partido Popular and far-right Vox, with more than 50,000 attending in Madrid according to government figures, and protesters calling for Sánchez's resignation. A National Police report reviewed by Spanish media indicated a reduced Moroccan police presence at the border during the crossings, though it stopped short of directly accusing Morocco's government, which denies any involvement; separately, Spanish fact-checkers say social media posts encouraged the crossing beforehand.

  • Mass protests across Spain over Ceuta migrant crisis handling
  • Police report suggests Moroccan forces were "permissive" during crossings
  • Opposition calls for PM Sánchez's resignation; Morocco denies involvement

Art Culture Entertainment Europe Government Music Politics World

Read the full article at the source →

Originally published by BBC World as “Protests in Spain over government’s handling of Ceuta migrant crisis”.