Local residents in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta clashed with police on Thursday while trying to stop Red Cross food deliveries to migrants on the beach.

Police charged demonstrators after they moved into the area where migrants were sleeping, and some personal belongings were set alight, footage shown on Spanish public television.

Earlier that day, a sit‑in was organised to temporarily block the aid vehicles from reaching the shoreline where hundreds of migrants were camped.

Many protesters waved Spanish flags and shouted slogans such as "They should leave" and "Out with the Red Cross" before police dispersed the crowd.

The night before, officers fired tear gas to keep demonstrators away from the migrants who were sleeping on the sand.

Residents of the 18‑square‑kilometre enclave have held regular protests, citing security and hygiene concerns linked to the recent influx.

Impact on EU migration policy

The situation puts pressure on the European Union to review its external border arrangements, as similar crossings have been reported in other EU territories bordering Morocco. Brussels is expected to discuss additional funding for reception centres in its upcoming summit, a move that could affect how member states share the burden of irregular migration. For citizens across Europe, the unrest highlights the fragility of the Schengen area when sudden population spikes occur at peripheral borders.

Police reported that a military vehicle carrying four soldiers was attacked by a group of around 70 migrants early Thursday, who threw stones and other objects. One soldier sustained minor injuries and twelve migrants, all identified as Moroccan, were detained.

Kissy Chandiramani, the autonomous city's finance councillor, told radio SER that tension in Ceuta was very high because residents felt abandoned by the government. She called for calm, noting the right to protest but warning that rising hostility would not solve the crisis.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened a security council to address the situation and the interior ministry announced extra personnel to identify migrants. Justice Minister Felix Bolanos said authorities were working without rest to restore normality, while the cabinet approved a €25 million boost for care of unaccompanied minors.

Political fallout in Madrid

The crisis has sharpened divisions ahead of next year's general election, with conservative and far‑right parties demanding the immediate return of all migrants. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo criticised the government for inaction, writing on X that the invasion was not prevented and the public‑order emergency was worsening daily.

Analysts say the handling of the Ceuta episode will influence Spain's standing in EU migration talks and could shape voter sentiment in the upcoming polls.