The Spanish government and the city of Ceuta agreed in Madrid on Friday to provide additional accommodation for migrants who have been sleeping outdoors in the city since the mass border crossing on 30 July According to La Moncloa the crisis committee on the “situation of interest for the security of the nation” unanimously approved an updated list of facilities in Ceuta to which those affected are to be moved gradually. All committee members also condemned the recent attacks and called for calm.
The decision follows several nights of attacks on makeshift camps and blockades of aid deliveries, including at the playa del Trampolín. The Cruz Roja reported that helpers had repeatedly been obstructed at the entrance to the beach area. According to the government, the police and other services are expected both to maintain public order and to safeguard humanitarian work.
The measures are based on the classification of the situation as a national security situation, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, by the Real Decreto 681/2026 and the supplementary Real Decreto 705/2026, which mobilises state resources to manage the situation. The operational “mando único” coordinates cooperation between the central government, the city council and the security forces.
For security and logistical reasons, the government is not yet naming the specific locations of the new accommodation. The aim is to speed up identification and initial reception, and to move those most in need of protection quickly to secure facilities. According to the information provided, questions about the scale and duration of the measures are being reviewed on an ongoing basis. The list of additional places is to be submitted to the Consejo de Ministros for approval.
The decision comes amid continuing tensions in the city. In recent days, belongings belonging to people sleeping on the beach have been destroyed and parts of makeshift shelters set alight. La Moncloa says the security forces will tackle criminal offences while also working to de-escalate the situation. Representatives of the government and Ceuta city council reaffirmed their firm opposition to violence and incitement.
Today’s decisions concern short-term accommodation only. Returns, asylum assessments and possible transfers to other regions remain separate, legally complex procedures, to be decided by the relevant departments. The government stresses that the current priority is protection, assistance and orderly accommodation, in order to stabilise the situation in Ceuta.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).