Police clear Ceuta migrants off beaches in Spanish enclave

At least 10,000 of the 72,000 migrants who broke through fence from Morocco in July remain in the Spanish enclave.

Spanish police have started clearing thousands of migrants from the beaches of Ceuta, an enclave on North Africa’s coast which saw a surge of arrivals from neighbouring Morocco in July.

Riot police ‌fired rubber bullets into the air and struck people with batons on Friday ⁠as they began ⁠an operation, which started shortly before 7am local time (05:00 GMT).

More than 72,000 people surged into the 18.5 square kilometre (7.2sq mile) enclave at the end of July in an unprecedented border ⁠rush, although most later left.

Spain estimates 10,000 migrants remain in the tiny territory.

The authorities have built new temporary housing inside Ceuta’s port to hold 1,700 people. NGOs say thousands remain unhoused and have been sleeping rough in camps.

The AFP news agency reported that the new location where some of the migrants are being settled in tents near the port has showers and beds.

Ceuta, with an official population of 80,000 residents, has been in Spanish possession since 1580.

It is one of two Spanish territories on the North African coast, along with Melilla.

Christians and Muslims, Spanish and Moroccan residents and day workers all live there in relative harmony behind a border fence that many migrants from across Africa attempt to cross or swim around for a better life in Europe.

On Friday, EU Migration Commissioner ⁠Magnus Brunner said that images of migrants crossing into ⁠Ceuta have fuelled support for far-right parties despite a sharp decline in irregular arrivals in Europe following tougher migration policies.

“We have the decreasing numbers, but images from Ceuta, of course, overshadow the actual successes and the actual facts and figures,” Brunner told Reuters in an interview.

He said these images “fuel the far right”, which was why “it is so important ‌to return those people as soon as possible to show that we have control”.

Separately on Friday, Spain’s World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente released a video from Ceuta as he announced his Nations League squad in a show of support for the enclave.