Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Spain. They expressed anger at the government’s handling of a large migrant crossing in July. Authorities said that 50,000 protesters marched in Madrid alone. Their anger was directed at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The crisis focuses on Spain’s north African city, Ceuta.
Violence persisted after the main protests. Gunshots and explosions were heard throughout Wednesday night. Law enforcement observed as crowds held Spanish flags. In Ceuta, residents dismantled a migrant camp on the beach.
A screen grab from a video taken by FORTA, via Reuters, shows Ceuta residents in action on August 27, 2026.
Protesters carried signs with messages like “A united Ceuta will never be defeated” and “Sánchez to prison.” Another common slogan was “Invaders — go home!” This unrest follows the crossing of 70,000 migrants from Morocco into Spain in late July.
The protests marked Ceuta’s anniversary. Thousands of migrants remain in Spain, highlighting ongoing tension. Ceuta’s regional leader, Juan Jesús Vivas, criticized the event. He stated the issue was an infringement of Spain’s territorial integrity.
Days before, Ceuta residents dismantled improvised migrant shelters. Fires were set as police tried to separate the crowds from migrants. Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and agency EFE reported on these events.
Sanchez accused Russia and Israel of worsening the crisis through social media. He claimed misinformation about a Spanish Supreme Court ruling triggered the border surge.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry representative, Maria Zakharova, dismissed the accusations. She demanded evidence to support such claims.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also reacted strongly. He accused Sánchez of deception to distract from local policy issues.
This report includes contributions from Efrat Lachter and the Associated Press. Anders Hagstrom is a Fox News Digital reporter covering national politics and major events.