Tensions erupted Monday at the Loma Colmenar migrant reception center in Ceuta after hundreds of migrants attempted to enter the facility at the same time, prompting Spanish police to intervene, fire warning shots into the air and clear an informal camp that had formed around the site.
The unrest began as officials at the center started admitting a new group of migrants. Some people waiting outside managed to enter, prompting others to push forward and triggering clashes and a stampede, according to Spanish media reports.
Police cordoned off the area and closed the road leading to Loma Colmenar, deploying additional officers at the entrances to prevent more people from gathering. Officers then cleared those who remained outside the facility, many of whom had spent the night there waiting for accommodation.
More than 1,000 migrants had remained around the center for about 10 days, according to Spanish media reports. Many waited for hours for access to shelter, food, water and showers, while the area gradually developed into a makeshift camp extending toward the road leading to the facility.
Tensions were further fueled by a rumor among migrants that entering the center would allow them to quickly obtain documents granting them the right to remain in Europe. Spanish media described the claim as false.
The gathering began after hundreds of migrants were moved from the El Tarajal beach area, where some had been living in temporary conditions, to a designated reception area at Loma Colmenar. Others subsequently arrived after reports circulated that the facility was being expanded and additional accommodation was becoming available.
The site had previously been used as a waiting area for vehicles traveling to Morocco before crossing the border. Spanish authorities converted it into a reception area and installed 25 large tents equipped with beds to accommodate some of the migrants who remained on the streets following a mass arrival in Ceuta on July 30 and 31.
The tents quickly filled, leaving others outside as more migrants continued to arrive while expansion work was underway. Long lines formed along the road and near nearby residential areas.
On Monday morning, authorities prepared additional space to receive another group. But when some migrants were allowed inside, tensions rose among those waiting. A large number attempted to enter at once, triggering a confrontation before police units intervened and fired warning shots into the air.
Spanish security sources cited by local media said the area around the camp had also seen disturbances in recent nights, including fights and thefts. The sources also referred to alleged sexual assaults, although published reports did not provide further details about the cases or the circumstances in which they occurred.
One Spanish security source estimated that as many as 5,000 migrants had gathered in or passed through the Loma Colmenar area during the recent period. More than 1,000 people were reportedly waiting around the center Monday morning.
Reports differed over how many migrants were admitted during the latest operation. Some sources put the number at around 400, while other local estimates said as many as 800 people entered the facility. Those who remained outside were dispersed from the area.
After the camp was cleared, cleaning crews entered the Loma Colmenar area to remove accumulated waste. Police maintained a heavy presence at the entrances to prevent the camp from being re-established and to keep the road and nearby facilities accessible.
Spanish media also reported that some local residents had provided migrants with food and hygiene supplies while they remained outside the center. Others expressed frustration over the continued presence of the camp and the problems associated with it, particularly as the gathering expanded toward residential neighborhoods and the university hospital.
A 29-year-old migrant identified as Ahmed, described by local media as an informal spokesman for those gathered at the site, expressed anger over the eviction.
“They drive us away from the beach, they drive us away from here, so where do they want us to go?” he said, according to Spanish media.
The latest developments come as authorities have increased migrant reception capacity in Ceuta to about 3,300 places.
The capacity includes around 1,200 places at Loma Colmenar, 1,300 at Loma Margarita and between 500 and 600 additional places created by expanding a temporary migrant accommodation center. Another 320 places are available at the Hípica facility for women and children.
The clashes highlight continued pressure on Ceuta’s migrant reception facilities, with significant numbers of migrants remaining outside official centers and moving between beaches, public areas and accommodation sites in search of shelter and basic services.
Spanish authorities are continuing to redistribute migrants and expand some reception facilities as they seek to manage the increased demand for accommodation.
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