Nationwide migrant protests prompt appeals for calm in Ceuta, Spain's North African territory

People living in Ceuta have appealed for calm ahead of migrant protests planned across Spain on Wednesday evening.

The demonstrations, due to be held in major cities including the capital Madrid, coincide with Ceuta Day, a holiday celebrating the Spanish territory in North Africa.

Nearly five weeks ago, around 72,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, with scores dying in the process. While most have since returned home, around 10,000 remain stranded in makeshift camps or on the streets.

Their presence has triggered near-daily protests by locals against the Spanish government's handling of the issue, with demonstrators calling for the migrants to be sent back to their countries of origin or redistributed across Spain.

"The government has failed to act in a critical situation. It's spiralling out of control. We're tired, just like those who came are getting tired, and tensions are rising. There's a point where this will become a powder keg," said a resident called Lola.

Francisco Garcia Segado, who heads residents' association FPAV Ceuta, said organisers of the demonstration wanted it to be "clean, free, without disrespecting anyone", and to block the far right from taking part amid concern that activists from mainland Spain could stoke violence.

"What we want is tranquillity... to go back to normal. Going back to normal means everyone being sent back where they came from," he added.

Recent protests featured sporadic attacks against a makeshift migrant camp at El Trampolin beach and arrests of Moroccan citizens who threw stones and bottles at army patrols.

Wednesday's Spain-wide protests were called by the FEMP federation of municipalities, which is dominated by the main opposition conservative People's Party (PP).

Spain's leftist government has distanced itself from the protests, accusing the right of exploiting the crisis for political benefit.

"This is not about defending Ceuta and the Ceutans, it is about attacking the government," territorial policy minister Angel Victor Torres told radio station RNE.

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A manifesto by citizens' initiative 'Por Ceuta' (For Ceuta), which calls for respect for residents' and migrants' human rights, the orderly return of those without the right to remain, and more security reinforcements, has attracted nearly 65,000 signatures.

Left-wing groups and unions have organised counter-protests in several cities, including Madrid, to condemn "racist and Islamophobic persecutions and attacks" against migrants in Ceuta.

Negotiations between local and central government on how to handle the crisis are deadlocked, with PP politicians, some in coalition with the far-right Vox party, calling for all those remaining, including minors, to be deported.

The government has increased capacity at temporary accommodation centres from about 500 places to more than 3,400, and deployed more than 1,600 police.

But regional groups and political leaders said more needed to be done to keep citizens and migrants safe.

(c) Sky News 2026: Nationwide migrant protests prompt appeals for calm in Ceuta, Spain's North African territory