CEUTA, Spain: Protests over security in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta escalated into violent clashes with the Spanish military Thursday, a month after a mass influx of migrants from Morocco.
Residents of Ceuta, which is just 18 square kilometers (seven square miles) in size, have held several demonstrations over what they say are security and hygiene problems linked to the influx.
The latest demonstration drew thousands of people late Wednesday and ended in clashes after police fired tear gas to prevent confrontations with migrants camping on a beach, according to Spanish media reports.
Hours later, in the early hours of Thursday, a military vehicle carrying four soldiers was “ambushed” by about 70 migrants, who attacked it with stones and other objects, a police spokesman in Ceuta told AFP.
The soldiers fled and called for police assistance. Police detained 12 migrants, all Moroccan, the spokesman said.
