Agadir – Thousands of people took to the streets across Spain on Wednesday in demonstrations supporting Ceuta and criticizing the government’s handling of the migration crisis in the city.
Rallies were held outside city halls in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Seville, Málaga, and Bilbao, with demonstrators demanding stronger measures in response to the influx of more than 70,000 people into Ceuta on July 30 and 31.
The demonstrations, organized as part of a nationwide show of solidarity, brought together political figures, local authorities, and residents calling on the central government to take further action to address the situation.
In Madrid, attendance estimates varied significantly. The Government Delegation put the number of participants at around 50,000, while Madrid City Council estimated that approximately 150,000 people joined the rally.
The demonstration was attended by People’s Party (PP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Vox leader Santiago Abascal, Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and Ceuta mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida.
Martínez-Almeida read a manifesto in support of Ceuta, while participants waved Spanish and Ceuta flags and chanted slogans including “Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta is defended.”
Demonstrators also voiced strong criticism of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and demanded his resignation, with some calling for criminal consequences over the government’s handling of the crisis.
In Zaragoza, around 25,000 people filled Plaza del Pilar and demanded a stronger response from the Spanish state and the European Union.
Participants called for greater European involvement in protecting Spain’s borders, arguing that Ceuta should not be left to deal with the consequences of a situation affecting Spain and the wider European Union.
Read also: Facing Populist Pressure on Ceuta, Spain Shifts from Thanking to Blaming Morocco
The protests came amid renewed controversy over a reported National Police intelligence assessment that allegedly links Moroccan security forces to the mass entry of around 70,000 people into Ceuta.
The reported assessment has not been confirmed, and its allegations conflict with recent statements by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has ruled out Moroccan involvement in the crisis.
The protests also allowed Spain’s far-right groups to intensify their anti-Moroccan rhetoric, as Vox figures and affiliated voices used the crisis to portray Morocco as a direct threat to Spain’s territorial integrity and border security.
The rhetoric has further sharpened amid unverified reports that Moroccan authorities may have played a role in facilitating the mass movement toward Ceuta. Although the alleged intelligence assessment has not been publicly confirmed and Sanchez has rejected claims of Moroccan involvement, far-right groups have seized on the allegations to reinforce longstanding accusations against Rabat and call for a tougher stance toward Morocco.
The escalation of anti-Moroccan rhetoric also risks placing further strain on relations between Madrid and Rabat. The two countries have strengthened cooperation in recent years, particularly on trade, security, migration, and regional issues. The spread of unsubstantiated allegations and increasingly hostile political discourse could undermine that progress, fuel public tensions, and complicate the close cooperation both countries rely on to manage shared challenges.
