The leader of the Partido Popular, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has called for people to attend nationwide rallies on Wednesday, 2 September, in support of the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta . He announced that he would attend the gathering outside Ayuntamiento de Madrid at Plaza de Cibeles. In social media posts, Feijóo reiterated his criticism of the central government: he says it is deceiving the public and abandoning the people of Ceuta. These accusations are political claims; the government denies obstructing the protests and points to existing support.
In the capital, preparations were accompanied from the outset by a formal dispute over how the event should be registered. The Delegación del Gobierno in Madrid made clear that a call issued by Madrid City Council would legally be treated as an institutional city event, not a private rally. Partido Popular representatives therefore accused the government of obstructing the event. The Delegación later clarified that the gathering could go ahead, but under the rules for an institutional event. This entails different organisational and legal conditions from a demonstration registered by private individuals.
Similar gatherings have also been announced in numerous cities alongside Madrid. In addition to the Partido Popular, Vox is also calling on people to attend. Vox leader Santiago Abascal has confirmed that he will be in Madrid. The government stresses that the protests must be peaceful and comply with the law. Members of the Gobierno de España warn against using the situation in Ceuta for partisan purposes and point to aid and measures already approved.
The president of the autonomous city of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, made an open appeal for broad support. He describes a tense situation involving issues of security, migration and responsibilities. Specific requests to Madrid range from additional staff for border security and the justice system to financial aid for municipal services. Views differ on the reach and immediate impact of today’s rallies: supporters see them as a show of solidarity with Ceuta, while critics expect them to have a largely symbolic effect. What political decisions, if any, will follow remains unclear.
The rallies are scheduled for today, Wednesday. Whether and to what extent people turn out in Madrid and other cities will only become clear over the course of the day.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).