A fleet of around 50 boats from Spain’s Costa del Sol and other ports has set sail for Ceuta in a show of support for the autonomous city following weeks of pressure linked to a major migrant influx.
The initiative, known as the Fleet of Solidarity with Ceuta, involves around 120 people travelling to the North African territory under the slogan “We are all Ceuta, Spain responds as one”. Organisers have arranged up to 60 free berths in the city’s harbour for participating vessels.
The boats are not travelling as one convoy. Each skipper is making the journey independently from their home port across the Strait of Gibraltar before meeting other participants in Ceuta.
The weekend programme includes a guided tour of the city and a dinner at the Yacht Club. On Sunday, the vessels are expected to sail through waters surrounding Ceuta before gathering with boats based in the territory in the southern bay.
Organisers said the gathering is intended to demonstrate unity between people living on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar.
The initiative follows a major migration crisis at the end of July, when tens of thousands of migrants crossed irregularly from Morocco into Ceuta over 30 and 31 July. The arrival placed significant pressure on local services and triggered political and public concern.
Thousands of migrants have remained in Ceuta since the mass arrivals, with accommodation facilities facing heavy pressure.
The situation has also led to several demonstrations by local residents. Protesters have called for migrants to be returned to Morocco and for the removal of an overcrowded camp near the Temporary Stay Centre for Immigrants.
The latest protest took place on Friday at Trampolín beach, where hundreds of residents gathered. Many of the demonstrations have been organised through social media groups.
No major demonstrations are currently planned in Ceuta for this weekend, offering the city a quieter period after several days of protests and clashes.
Local sources have warned, however, that further demonstrations could be called at short notice. Another protest is scheduled for 2 September and is being organised by the Provincial Federation of Neighbours’ Associations and the Foro Ceuta Siglo XXI.
The Spanish Government has been seeking ways to manage the migration situation while complying with European and international asylum rules. Madrid has also requested assistance from European agencies including Frontex, Europol and the EU Agency for Asylum.
The arrival of the boats from mainland Spain is expected to bring attention to the continuing tensions surrounding migration in Ceuta while organisers seek to present the weekend gathering as a peaceful display of solidarity and national unity.
