Police begin operation to move migrants from Ceuta beaches
The camp can accommodate 1,700 people, and several hundred had arrived there. The operation began early Friday, with Spanish agency Efe reporting that more than 3,000 people were being transferred.
Efe said over 170 officers were deployed, including staff operating drones. After an initially difficult situation, authorities brought it under control and continued the transfers.
The migration crisis has drawn criticism of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez from opposition politicians. Ceuta Mayor Juan Jesus Vivas earlier described the territory’s situation to European lawmakers as a “pressure cooker.”
Opposition figures say Sánchez had advance warning of the influx. He has rejected that claim, while government documents indicate intelligence services had noted online appeals for a mass crossing the day before.
The arrivals followed a Spanish Supreme Court ruling on returning migrants intercepted at sea. Thousands crossed the border or swam around sea barriers in late July; local authorities said at least 100 people died.
Key points
- Police are transferring migrants to a port-area camp with space for 1,700.
- Efe reported more than 3,000 transfers and over 170 officers deployed.
- Sánchez faces political criticism over the influx and whether authorities had advance warning.