Crisis in Ceuta and political news, live | Tension and nervousness among migrants during the transfer from the beaches to the port of Ceuta

Minors removed from the first groups

Transfer personnel have located several children who were waiting for their relocation at the port facilities. They were removed from the group, which was waiting seated on the ground according to the agents’ instructions, and taken out of the line. The reception center is intended for adult males, and unlike the Loma Colmenar operation, where unaccompanied minors were initially accommodated, this time they are being prevented from blending in with the others. For now, there are no new centers designated for minors.

Montserrat, Secretary General of the EPP: “The invasion of Ceuta is an international scandal”

The Secretary General of the European People’s Party (EPP), Dolors Montserrat, welcomed on Friday the resolution adopted yesterday in the European Parliament that holds Spain responsible for the massive entry of migrants into Ceuta in the last days of July and threatens to suspend the association agreement between the EU and Morocco. “Not even the most optimistic analyst could have expected such a forceful text,” she said in an interview on esRadio. And this shows, in her opinion, that “the invasion of Ceuta has been and is an international scandal that cannot be repeated in Ceuta, Spain, or Europe.”

“The resolution clearly states ‘support for Ceuta,’ ‘that on the 30th and 31st there was an invasion,’ and ‘above all, direct messages to Morocco and the Government.’ The popular politician highlighted that the text makes clear ‘the irresponsibility of Sánchez’s Government for not defending the southern border, for not applying the migration pact on returns, which has been applicable since June, and therefore for leaving all Ceutans unprotected.’ As well as a ‘very clear message’ to Morocco that ‘Europe’s sovereignty is not questioned, the migration pact and return treatment are enforced, because Morocco, as a safe country of the European Union, has the obligation to take charge of irregular migrants,’ she concluded.

Tension in the transfer of the first groups

The operation to transfer migrants to the port, which began about forty minutes ago, has experienced more moments of tension. The migrants crowded around the UIP units, and when trying to cross through the designated route, a crush occurred. The police fired shots into the air and struck several of them, who had been holding back the push of the hundreds crowding behind them for about an hour. The situation is now under control and the transfer is resuming in small groups.

The transfer on foot of migrants from the beaches of Ceuta to the Port begins

Just as the streetlights on Explanada del Puente street went out, the operation to transfer migrants in small groups to the facilities of the port of Ceuta officially began. After the first chaotic hour, the Police units have begun the transfer on foot, which will cover just over a kilometer to the temporary reception center. The operation is carried out jointly with military units and the Civil Guard.

The migrants, mostly men, greeted the start of the march with applause, after a sleepless night waiting since before dawn, prepared with their belongings. The new facilities have capacity for just over 1,000 people.

PHOTO GALLERY | The eviction of the beaches of Ceuta, in images

The Police transfer migrants from the Benítez and El Trampolín beaches to the port facilities.

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The Police organize migrants into groups after the initial stampede

Dozens of Police units have controlled the migrants after the initial stampede. At this moment, the agents are organizing them into groups for their transfer on foot to the port facility. Through a megaphone, they have called for calm, and the migrants wait for their transfer behind the strong police cordon. For now, the migrants belong to the Benítez Beach settlement, neighboring the more numerous Trampolín settlement.

Chaos in the transfer of migrants to the port of Ceuta

Before the Police operation arrived, hundreds of migrants were already waiting on the Benítez and Trampolín beaches. When only some Civil Guard operatives were in the area, the migrants began running towards the port location, causing a stampede of people advancing along the Ceuta promenade. Around 7:00, when the police units arrived, they stopped the migrants’ stampede, detaining them to organize the transfer.

The transfer of migrants from the beaches to the port of Ceuta begins

Before 7 in the morning, the police and the Civil Guard began the operation to transfer migrants sleeping on Benítez beach, neighboring Trampolín. Scenes of tension are being experienced because the migrants have been waiting all night for the transfer. Before the full operation moved to the area, the migrants began running to the new facility. “The crowd is not controlled,” the police say.

Police, Civil Guards, and military approach Benítez beach for the transfer of migrants to the port of Ceuta

Since 5 this morning, hundreds of migrants sleeping on the beaches of Trampolín and neighboring Benítez have been waiting for relocation to reception centers. Although there is no official confirmation, many of them have spent the night awake, with their belongings packed, awaiting the transfer operation.

Several units of Police, Civil Guards, and military are approaching Benítez beach for the operation.

MIGRATION CRISIS

The PSOE studies a reform to fix the “legal vacuum” posed by the Supreme Court to return migrants who enter by swimming

The PSOE is looking for ways to fix the “legal vacuum” posed by the Supreme Court regarding hot returns of those arriving by swimming. On July 8, the magistrates confirmed that the article of the immigration law regulating express rejection does not apply to all foreigners attempting to cross the border irregularly by land or sea, but only “to those who try to do so by overcoming established border containment elements, such as fences.” In other words, border rejection does not apply in cases of water entries if there is no physical containment element. Three weeks after the ruling, everything blew up with the avalanche of between 70,000 and 80,000 people who entered Ceuta, whom security forces could not automatically return following the high court. Now, the socialists are studying a law reform to overcome this regulatory obstacle — which after the crossing was temporarily resolved with the installation of a 500-meter buoy — according to socialist sources to EL PAÍS.

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MIGRATION CRISIS

The Government trusts to clear the beaches of Ceuta after the National Court unblocks the transfer to the port

For a few hours on Wednesday, the Government was in turmoil. The National Court’s decision halted the transfer of 1,700 immigrants to the port of Ceuta at the critical moment. It had not been publicly announced to avoid disturbances, but the idea was to move them from the beaches of El Trampolín and Benítez to the port early this Thursday.

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Good morning. We start the live narration of political news and the Ceuta crisis this Friday, September 18. The autonomous city is still awaiting the transfer of migrants from Trampolín beach to the provisional camp to be installed at the city port. The National Court yesterday denied the temporary suspension of the migrant camp at the Port of Ceuta, requested by a police union, so the Government can continue with its plans to transfer about 1,800 migrants currently camped on Trampolín beach. Meanwhile, the confrontation between Government and opposition over the migration crisis persists.

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