Ceuta’s migration crisis is putting growing pressure on the Spanish enclave, after two migrant children were injured in a knife attack and health authorities warned of a health risk at a beach near a migrant camp.
The two underage migrants were injured on Thursday during a fight in the La Marina area of Ceuta. National Police officers intervened at the scene, while emergency medical workers treated the youths for cuts around their ankles. The incident adds to concerns about tensions in a city dealing with a large number of migrants and limited accommodation for those who remain there.
The violence came as authorities were also dealing with a separate public health concern at Trampolin beach, where a migrant encampment is located. Ceuta’s Department of Health warned against contact with the seawater after tests found unusually high levels of bacteria.
Samples collected on 23, 25 and 28 September contained “very high” concentrations of intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli. Both bacteria are monitored as indicators of water quality, and the levels recorded were above the limits established for coastal bathing waters. In its report released on Friday, the health authorities concluded that contact with the water posed a “health risk”.
The authorities have also decided to fence off Benitez beach to prevent new migrant camps from being established in the bathing area. The move reflects the difficulty officials face in managing temporary settlements while also trying to maintain access to public spaces and protect public health.
Accommodation has become another major problem. With available spaces under pressure, some migrants are sleeping in garages, cars and abandoned vans. In some neighbourhoods, rooftop spaces are reportedly being offered for around 12 euros a night, providing another indication of how difficult it has become for some people to find somewhere to sleep.
Police and the Civil Guard have also identified properties being used to accommodate large numbers of migrants. In one of the homes described as a “patera flat”, officers found as many as 30 people inside, most of them minors. The term is commonly associated with accommodation linked to people who arrive by small migrant boats.
The shortage of accommodation has also drawn criticism from some residents, who say people are taking advantage of migrants’ urgent need for shelter by charging them for poor or overcrowded conditions.
The pressure is extending beyond housing and accommodation. The UGT-Ceuta local union has called for “sufficient resources” to protect public services and workers as the city deals with the arrival of thousands of migrants. The union is asking the government to put in place a coordinated plan aimed at protecting essential services and helping restore normal conditions in the city.
The Ombudsman, Angel Gabilondo, is also visiting Ceuta this week to assess the situation directly. During the visit, he is due to meet Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesus Vivas, and visit Ceuta University Hospital.
The developments underline the range of problems facing Ceuta at the same time: pressure on accommodation, concerns over conditions in migrant settlements, demands on public services and growing health and safety concerns in areas being used by migrants. For local authorities, the challenge is not limited to managing arrivals, but also to dealing with the consequences for people who remain in the city and the wider community.
