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Ceuta is bracing for a potential new mass surge of migrants on Wednesday, weeks after an estimated 80,000 people stormed the border between the Spanish enclave and Morocco.
Social media is now rife with calls for migrants to enter the city on the same day that elections are being held in Morocco.
Tensions are already high in the Spanish city that sits in north Africa.
asserted
that → see → Africa
On Sunday, thousands of Ceutis marched in protest to the Moroccan border.
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thousands → march → border
Meanwhile, police were deployed last night to quell a riot at the Loma Colmenar detention centre.
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police → deploy → centre
Authorities called in several police units as tensions flared.
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tensions → call → units
Footage shared last night by local media showed a riot van backing up behind a line of cops dressed head to toe in riot gear.
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van → share → gear
In front of them stood dozens of people who appeared to be migrants.
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who → stand → people
The riot van sounded its alarm, in an apparent warning to those gathered.
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van → sound → those
Police were also called to a makeshift shelter in Loma Colmenar, where they found a large number of migrants – many of whom were minors.
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many → call → whom
Cops raided the house following neighbours' complaints.
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Cops → raid → complaints
Footage shared last night by local media showed a riot van backing up behind a line of cops dressed head to toe in riot gear
Police were also called to a makeshift shelter in Loma Colmenar, where they found a large number of migrants – many of whom were minors
Migrants at a settlement in Trampolin beach, following the mass crossing of migrants from Morocco, in Ceuta, Spain, September 20 2026
Local media reported as many as 20 people were living in the property.
Spain's foreign minister José Manuel Albares said Madrid has activated channels to counter calls within Morocco calling for a new crossing.
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Madrid → share → crossing
But despite this, the city is bracing for another crossing.
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city → brace → crossing
Beginning on July 30, around 80,000 people entered the Spanish enclave illegally.
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people → begin → enclave
They swam from the Moroccan side around the Tarajal breakwater that jutted out into the sea and made their way to Ceuta.
Though many left the city, as many as 15,000 people still illegally remain in Ceuta.
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people → swim → Ceuta
Last week saw thousands of migrants running through the streets of the enclave as authorities tried to move them to a new tent camp.
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authorities → see → camp
Spanish police began relocating the migrants, who have been living for weeks on the beach in Ceuta, to its port area.
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who → begin → area
In the move officers struggled to contain the crowds jostling to secure a spot at the new tented site.
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officers → struggle → site
Authorities say there are enough tents for 1,700 people.
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Authorities → say → people
Video footage shows people charging through the streets towards the new camp, cheering and shouting.
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people → show → camp
According to local reports, the National Police and Riot Control Unit were forced to intervene, reportedly using tear gas to stop the chaos.
uncertain
Police → accord → chaos
Following the incident, authorities erected a 500m (1,640ft) inflatable barrier to further deter migrants from entering.
But this has since broken apart due to strong winds.
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this → follow → winds
Sunday's protest saw Ceutis chanting 'expel the invaders', amid a growing sense among locals that the city is already at its limits.
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city → see → limits
Video footage shows people charging through the streets towards the new camp
Police struggled to contain the surging crowds as they tried to move migrants from Ceuta's beaches to a new tented site in the Spanish enclave
A picture taken on September 20, 2026 shows the damaged anti-migration barrier which was recently installed along the seawall border separating Morocco from Spain's north African territory of Ceuta at the Tarajal beach in the Spanish enclave
The health service is also feeling the strain.
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service → show → strain
CEMSATSE, the union with the largest representation among health workers in Ceuta, has called for a strike on Thursday – the day after the potential mass crossing.
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CEMSATSE → call → crossing
The union said the health system has 'surpassed its original capacity' and accused Madrid of failing to recognise an emergency.
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system → say → emergency
National health minister Mónica García has denied that there is a crisis in Ceuta’s health system and said the city’s only hospital was operating at 53 per cent capacity.
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hospital → deny → capacity
She previously accused those who believe that an influx of migrants could bring disease to Ceuta of being xenophobic.
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influx → accuse → Ceuta
Ms García insisted: 'Migrants do not bring diseases, they contract them here because of poor conditions.'
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they → insist → conditions
The Aporia
