The Government of Ceuta has requested the urgent removal of a newly established encampment at Playa de Benítez . Earlier, on 12 September, reporters and emergency workers had counted “more than 100 chabolas” on the stretch of beach beside the Desalinizadora . The city council warned that the site’s immediate proximity to the drinking water treatment plant threatened its uninterrupted operation and called for coordinated action by the authorities.
According to consistent reports, the makeshift settlement has spread from the former Playa del Trampolín to neighbouring Playa de Benítez. On 13 September, the Government of Ceuta wrote to the Delegación del Gobierno and pointed to the central administration’s responsibility for emergency measures relating to critical infrastructure and for migration-related measures. The city also stressed that short-term interventions must be accompanied by humanitarian aid and orderly procedures for accommodation.
As of 15 September, the central government had made no public final decision on clearing Playa de Benítez. Representatives of state bodies referred to ongoing operations by security forces and aid organisations; no reliable information on timing, scale or alternative sites had been published.
The background is an increase in migration via Ceuta’s coastal area that has continued since late July. Media reports in recent weeks documented the establishment of makeshift shelters at Playa del Trampolín and their gradual relocation to less crowded sections. The authorities describe a situation in which short-term measures to maintain order and protect critical infrastructure must be balanced with healthcare, registration and assistance.
Statements attributed to the town hall underline its concern that an uncoordinated desalojo could create new risks, for example by displacing people into more sensitive areas of the coastline or by putting pressure on emergency accommodation. Observers note that a viable approach must clearly allocate responsibilities between the city, the Delegación del Gobierno and the Ministry of the Interior, while also establishing legally sound procedures for reception, identity checks and possible returns.
From the city’s perspective, the immediate priority is to prevent disruption to the Desalinizadora. Local services are also preparing further hygiene and supply measures in the affected areas. Whether, when and how the requested removal will be carried out depends, according to the latest information, on coordination between the authorities involved and the capacity available in alternative accommodation.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).