The Policía Nacional cleared the makeshift camp on the Explanada on the morning of 11 October El Guano in Ceuta . According to the authorities, it was the last large, visible tent and shack encampment that had existed in the city since the major border crossings at the end of July. Consistent reports say the operation began in the early hours and was supported by units of the Guardia Civil .
When the operation began, several hundred people were still at the beach, according to estimates from state authorities and local media. Reported figures vary by source, from about 150 to around 400 people. Officers escorted people away in groups to establish their identity, age and protection needs. Adults were placed into the prescribed procedure. This includes transfer to the Centro de Atención Temporal para Extranjeros (CATE) at the border or, following an individual assessment, the start of return procedures to Morocco. Minors were registered separately and temporarily accommodated in premises run by the Jefatura Superior de Policía until their age and legal status have been established.
The Delegación del Gobierno in Ceuta had announced the clearance and said its aim was to restore public order and ensure compliance with reception and protection procedures. Several media outlets linked the timing to a visit by the royal family scheduled for the coming days; the authorities noted that operational needs were assessed independently of the calendar. Aid organisations and local representatives criticised the speed of the operation and called for transparent information on accommodation, healthcare and access to asylum procedures. Verified figures for transfers, age assessments and decisions in asylum cases were not yet fully available that morning.
The legal basis and coordination for the measures rely on provisions issued in late summer, including a royal decree regulating additional capacity and procedures for registration, temporary accommodation and returns. Ceuta’s reception facilities had been under sustained pressure since the mass border crossings on 30 and 31 July. The clearance of El Guano brings the city’s most visible form of makeshift encampment to an end for now. It remains unclear how many people are staying in accommodation without being registered or whether there will be further attempts to cross. Statements by authorities and organisations are attributed to their respective sources; independent comprehensive figures on the outcome of the operation are still awaited.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).