Spain’s Ceuta In ‘Chaos’ As Moroccan Migrant Surge Prompts Viral Right-Wing Backlash

Jul 31, 2026 01:33 AM - 1 hour ago 2

Topline

Thousands of Moroccan migrants crossed a Spanish separator into the mini territory of Ceuta connected Thursday, overwhelming section leaders who person asked Spain to state a authorities of emergency—as videos of the migrants flood societal media, outraging right-wing politicians and activists.

Migrants transverse from Morocco into Spain's Ceuta territory connected Thursday. (AP Photo/Antonio Sempere)

Key Facts

Videos connected societal media and section reports show thousands of migrants person poured into Ceuta connected Thursday, which Rachid Sbihi, caput of the relation that represents Ceuta’s separator police, said has caused “absolute chaos.”

Sbihi reportedly said he does not cognize precisely really galore migrants person crossed the border, but said the magnitude is successful the “thousands,” saying the separator has “totally collapsed.”

Juan Jesús Vivas, the leader of Ceuta’s location government, demanded Spain state a nationalist emergency and connection an accrued constabulary and service beingness successful the area, but Spain’s Interior Ministry said it could not state a nationalist emergency complete migration concerns, the Associated Press reported.

Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s premier minister, said successful a post connected X the authorities is “fully committed to providing an contiguous consequence to the business successful Ceuta,” saying it is “mobilizing each basal resources” and “working pinch Moroccan and world authorities.”

The leader of Spain’s opposition, Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the blimpish People’s Party, said successful a post that the “situation successful Ceuta is desperate” and said the authorities “cannot look the different measurement connected its obligations because we are facing a nationalist information crisis.”

The European People’s Party, of which Feijóo’s statement is simply a member, said successful a post connected X the European Commission “must clasp Sánchez accountable” for “failing to protect Spain’s outer border,” alleging Europe is “paying the price.”

where is ceuta?

Ceuta is simply a mini Spanish metropolis located connected North Africa’s coast, bordering some the Mediterranean Sea and Morocco. Ceuta has belonged to Spain since the 16th period and is 1 of fewer African territories the federation still possesses, besides including Melilla, different coastal metropolis that borders Morocco. Both Ceuta and Melilla are predominant destinations for African migrants who dream to usage the cities arsenic introduction points to Europe.

Why Did Migrants Surge Into Ceuta On Thursday?

The logic down Thursday’s abrupt surge is unclear, but connected Wednesday, an influx of migrants had attempted to transverse the Spanish separator by swimming, the Associated Press reported. Opposition statement politicians successful Spain and Europe pointed to Sánchez’s pro-immigration stances arsenic the logic for the surge, referencing a policy his authorities implemented earlier this twelvemonth that would springiness astir half a cardinal undocumented immigrants ineligible position successful Spain.

Videos Of Moroccan Migrants Go Viral On X

Videos of ample numbers of migrants appearing to transverse the Spanish separator into Ceuta went wide viral connected societal media Thursday, often circulated by right-wing commentators who are captious of immigration. Billionaire Elon Musk said connected Thursday day the migration surge is “absolutely an invasion,” and he reposted a tweet from commentator and Canadian trading professor Gad Saad that accused Western politicians of being “treasonous” pinch “castrated, weak, lobotomized ideologues.” A video posted to X by Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party, besides called the influx of migrants an “invasion” and accused “Sánchez's corrupt government” of “desperately calling successful much hitmen to enactment successful power.” Abascal’s video garnered much than 2.2 cardinal views arsenic of Thursday afternoon. Abascal posted different video Thursday morning, garnering 2.6 cardinal views, accusing Sánchez of being a “traitor, a corrupt man, and an indecent person,” calling for his ouster.

key background

In May 2021, Ceuta knowledgeable a similar, abrupt influx erstwhile much than 8,000 migrants poured into the territory—which has a organization of astir 85,000—over conscionable 2 days. Sánchez called the surge a “serious situation for Spain and for Europe,” and the authorities deployed troops to power the border, aft which galore migrants were returned to Morocco. Vivas, astatine the time, said section officials were “not moreover successful a position to cipher the number of group who person entered,” saying the “mood among Ceuta’s organization is now 1 of anguish, uncertainty, unease and fear.” The 2021 surge occurred amid strained relations betwixt Spain and Morocco aft Moroccan officials reacted pinch outrage aft Brahim Ghali, leader of a separatist activity fighting for Western Sahara’s independence, was treated for COVID-19 nether an othername successful Spain.