Twenty-one migrants arrested in Ceuta after stones thrown at military patrols

Twenty-one Moroccan migrants were arrested in Ceuta after allegedly throwing stones at a military patrol and Civil Guard officers, according to police sources cited by EFE. No injuries were reported.

The incident took place late Saturday near Trampolín beach, where hundreds of migrants are still sleeping more than a month after roughly 80,000 people entered the Spanish city from Morocco. Police said some migrants had been fighting among themselves before throwing stones at a nearby armed forces patrol. The Civil Guard intervened and was also targeted.

The crisis began on July 30 and 31, when tens of thousands crossed into Ceuta. Most later returned voluntarily, but some remain in the city, prompting complaints from residents and concern over insecurity. Thousands are living in makeshift shelters in peripheral neighborhoods or on the beach, with difficult access to food and water.

The number still in Ceuta is disputed. The Spanish government estimates 5,000, Ceuta authorities put the figure at nearly 9,000, and some NGOs say 20,000 remain. Around 1,500 minors transferred to the Ceuta government by the National Police are housed in emergency centers.

The Spanish government has ordered the takeover of the Port of Ceuta and authorized tents for more than 1,000 migrants across 16,000 square meters of public port land. Residents and businesses opposed the measure. The Spanish Association of Troops and Sailors said similar incidents were recurring because the Civil Guard lacked “sufficient authority to carry out its work effectively and decisively.”

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sufficient authority to carry out its work effectively and decisively