Migrants and Aid Workers Face Systematic Violence in Ceuta

• Activists report that migrants in Ceuta are facing widespread, persistent violence, including physical assaults by military personnel and vigilante groups.
• The local and national government response is criticized for being slow and inadequate, leaving thousands of people without sufficient shelter, food, or basic rights.
• Humanitarian volunteers are being harassed, intimidated, and arrested for documenting these abuses, while police often remain passive during attacks.

Human Rights and Systemic Violence

• Migrants frequently report beatings, forced dispersal, and having their belongings destroyed or stolen.
• Reports suggest that military and police forces may be employing a strategy of intimidation to pressure migrants into returning to Morocco.
• Violence has escalated with the arrival of radical groups that engage in organized harassment and physical attacks against both migrants and aid workers.

Administrative and Social Crisis

• Despite new temporary centers, the current accommodation capacity is insufficient for the thousands of individuals still living on the streets.
• Aid groups note that access to healthcare and food is being severely restricted, with some reporting that military presence near hospitals hinders medical access.
• There is deep concern over the lack of a clear, individual protection process or pathways for international protection, leaving migrants in a state of extreme precarity and psychological distress.

Impact on Civil Society

• Volunteers report that they are increasingly viewed as enemies by segments of the local population and face direct threats, property damage, and legal repercussions.
• Activists argue that the failure to protect vulnerable groups creates a dangerous precedent, fostering an environment where xenophobia and fascist rhetoric can thrive under the guise of impunity.