Hundreds of demonstrations took place across Spain in solidarity with Ceuta and to demand a stronger response from the Madrid government to the crisis affecting the Spanish exclave on the North African coast.
According to organizers and the Spanish press, the mobilizations involved numerous cities, including Madrid, Malaga, Bilbao, Valencia, Seville, Murcia, Barcelona, Valladolid, and Salamanca. The slogan that became the symbol of the protests was "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta is defended," already used in demonstrations organized in previous weeks in the same autonomous city.
At the heart of the protests is the management of the consequences of the entry of thousands of migrants between July 30 and 31. The incident has fueled a heated internal political debate and new tensions in relations with Morocco, also in light of Rabat's historic claims over Ceuta's sovereignty.
In Madrid, one of the main gatherings took place at Plaza de Cibeles, where numerous participants, many with Spanish flags, called for a more decisive intervention by central authorities. As attendance increased, some of the demonstrators later moved along Paseo del Prado towards the Congress of Deputies.
The area around Parliament was guarded by law enforcement, and during the protest, moments of tension occurred. The police intervened to contain some groups, while insults were hurled at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez from the crowd, along with calls for his resignation.
The initiatives, about 300 according to reports, were promoted by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (Femp), led by the Popular Party. PP and Vox joined the mobilizations, with the participation of their respective leaders Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Santiago Abascal.
The Sánchez government, on the other hand, emphasized the political nature of the protests. However, the initiatives also affected municipalities governed by socialists, indicating a debate on crisis management that goes beyond the traditional divide between majority and opposition.
The issue of Ceuta thus remains at the center of the Spanish political clash. The protests combined solidarity with the autonomous city with criticism of the executive, while immigration, border security, and relations with Morocco continue to fuel a debate destined to weigh on the national political agenda.
(Associated Medias) - Tutti i diritti sono riservati