Ceuta border crisis: Tens of thousands protest across Spain

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in more than 200 cities across Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville, following the border crisis in Spain's autonomous city of Ceuta in North Africa. Protesters criticized Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government's handling of the crisis, chanting "Sánchez to prison." Police in Madrid were reported to have used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.

The crisis erupted at the end of July when approximately 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta by swimming or running; at least 90 people lost their lives. Most migrants were sent back, but according to official figures, approximately 5,000 migrants, including 1,200 unaccompanied children, remain in the city. The Ceuta local administration stated that the central government ignored its warnings, while the central government announced an aid package of 309 million euros (357 million dollars).

Sánchez pointed to Russia and Israel among the actors behind disinformation campaigns fueling the crisis; both countries denied the allegations. Ceuta's autonomous president Juan Jesús Vivas described the event as a "violation of Spain's territorial integrity" and demanded the strengthening of the border. Most migrants are still forced to shelter on beaches and streets.