How paradise Ceuta beach became a migrant shanty town ‘full of bad people’ after 80,000 poured into Spanish enclave

CRUDELY constructed tents made from scraps of ­discarded waste stretch as far as the eye can see. Bare-chested men in swimming shorts smoke hashish and play-fight on the ash-grey sand amid piles of rotting suitcases. The ramshackle migrant camp that has sprung up at Trampolin beach in Ceuta Credit: Chris Eades Thousands of migrants arriving across the border from Morocco on July 31 Credit: AFP Along the festering shoreline, children beg for money, while adults relieve themselves on a hillside that has become an open-air latrine. This is the scene at the formerly picturesque Playa Del Trampolin beach in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Africa’s northern coast. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! In fact, if hell had a beach, this would be it. Over the past decade, I have filed reports from migrant camps across Europe — mainly from northern France and Greece — and in all my years as a journalist, I have never seen anything like this. Residents are outraged at the sprawling shanty town that has taken root on the popular surfers’ beach. And across the country, voters are calling for Spain’s migrant-welcoming socialist Prime Minister Pedro ­Sanchez to resign. It is now five weeks since around 80,000 migrants poured across Ceuta’s border with Morocco over two days. The Spanish PM pledged that all the new arrivals would be deported, but this week an estimated 15,000 were still living there. Around 20 per cent are in official camps, with the rest on the beach and the streets. Most read in The Sun With them come the unsanitary tent cities that have sprung up across the 7.1-square mile territory, which usually has a population of just 85,000. Ceuta residents demonstrate against response to migrant crisis Credit: Getty Migrants make use of communal showers on the beach, while a nearby area has been turned into an outside toilet Credit: Chris Eades Crime has increased eight-fold, according to one official, and chief prosecutor Silvia Rojas says there is almost one sexual assault committed every day on average, a significant number of the attacks perpetrated against children. Petite teenager Hasnaa Ramsi was one of those targeted, although she is understandably reluctant to discuss the details. Hasnaa, 18, a migrant from ­Casablanca in Morocco, told The Sun: “I reported what happened to me to the police. “It was really bad and I don’t want to talk about it. “I am living in the camp here and it is cold sleeping in a tent at night, but I feel safe when I am there. “Out on the streets, I don’t feel safe. “It’s because of the migrants from [sub-Saharan] Africa. “They are bad people and they try to steal from you.” I bumped into Hasnaa and her friend Oumaim Azzaoui, 25, as they walked towards a launderette to wash their clothes. Incredibly, both girls reached Ceuta’s northern shoreline by swimming for 30 minutes across the bay separating the two countries on July 31. Tens of thousands of others made the same crossing and, tragically, at least 100 of them drowned. Hasnaa added: “It was difficult and it was scary because there were a lot of people and it took a long time. “Now I want to move to Zaragoza in Spain because it’s a city with a lot of Moroccans. “I came here to continue my studies in accounting. My family doesn’t allow me to have money or to study, but in Spain I can do whatever I want.” The migrants’ makeshift tents extend along the shoreline Credit: Chris Eades African migrants hang around hoping to get papers to travel into Europe Credit: Chris Eades Nearly nine in ten Spaniards blame Morocco for instigating the unprecedented mass crossing — the largest ever recorded to a European territory — and a majority rate the Spanish PM’s handling of the crisis as “poor”. The surge was ignited after rumours spread on social media that “Spain was open” and the towering border fences had become “safe and easy”. Spanish residents speak of foreign cops directing migrants across and of a deliberate attempt by the ­government in Morocco to reclaim Ceuta and its fellow autonomous city Melilla. Others say that Spain granting amnesty to 500,000 undocumented migrants living on the mainland last April gave the impression the country had become an open back door to Europe. Local father-of-one Manu Roman, out shopping with his daughter Marta, eight, describes what happened as an “invasion”. Photographer Manu, 45, said: “Morocco wants to win sovereignty over these territories before their king dies. Sadly, we believe the problem is only set to worsen and each invasion will only be more dangerous than the last. The streets of Ceuta are not safe for us.” Sanchez denies Moroccan involvement, pointing the finger at shadowy Russian and Israeli state actors instead. In a recent interview, he said: “No institution — neither the diplomatic service, nor the European Commission, nor any international body — has provided the Spanish government with solid evidence that Morocco planned or carried out the incident. None.” Whatever the truth, the results have been horrific, with 23 sexual assaults recorded against locals and migrants over August, nine of them against children. Suspects include Moroccan migrants but also Spaniards and one Belgian national. How Ceuta’s coastline looked before the influx of migrants Credit: Getty Arantxa Campos, president of the Ceuta Employers’ Confederation, says up to 15,000 migrants remain in the territory, including between 1,400 and 1,600 children Credit: Chris Eades Chief Prosecutor Rojas said many of the victims were vulnerable because they were sleeping rough. Spain’s CEP police union says that 10,000 migrants remain in Ceuta, including between 1,400 and 1,600 children. But Arantxa Campos, president of the Ceuta Employers’ Confederation, says the total number is closer to 15,000. She added: “No one knows how many migrants are here because they are not documented. “We don’t know who these people are or whether they are criminals or crazy. The only thing we know is that they should not be in Ceuta. “The government says we don’t have a problem and that we are ­racist for complaining. “But this has been going on for almost six weeks, and for the people that live here, it is frightening. “We had to cancel our annual ­festival last month because we didn’t feel it was safe to go ahead.” The influx has prompted thousands of Spaniards to take to the streets of the mainland on an almost daily basis, with 200 towns and cities reportedly witnessing demonstrations. Hasnaa Ramsi, 18, from Casablanca, and her friend Oumaim Azzaoui, right, reached Ceuta by swimming for 30 minutes across the bay separating it from Morocco Credit: Chris Eades Rayame Boutalia, 23, is a boxer from Blida, Algeria, who hopes to travel to Spain to continue his training and pursue a better life Credit: Chris Eades Around 50,000 people gathered in the capital Madrid last Wednesday, leading to angry confrontations with the police. Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of the opposition Popular Party, accused ministers of abandoning Ceuta. He declared: “A Spanish city has been invaded and occupied and, unfortunately, this happened with the knowledge of the government of Spain.” When The Sun arrived in Ceuta early one morning this week, we were immediately confronted with the sight of homeless migrants sleeping on filthy mattresses in the streets leading to the port. Once we reached Trampolin Beach, the spectacle became even more unsettling. The shadowy outlines of men fishing for their breakfast from submerged rocks could be made out amid the dense fog. Two men were praying to Mecca inside a “mosque” built from ­discarded plastic bottles weighted down with sand. One man sat listlessly under a parasol above an open sewer ­flowing into the Strait of Gibraltar. Others rose from their slumber to wash in the surf. A long queue formed at the ­public toilets and those that could not wait urinated on the other side of the main highway, which was manned by fez-wearing soldiers and rattled under the wheels of riot vans on patrol. Moroccan migrant Mohammed Achaoui, left, arrived in Ceuta on August 10 with his friend Billal Boudamei, 17, after heading to Spain in search of better economic opportunities Credit: Chris Eades Local father-of-one Manu Roman, out shopping with his daughter Marta, eight, describes what happened as an ‘invasion’ Credit: Chris Eades The next day, we witnessed a handful of Civil Guard officers backed by club-wielding military personnel attempting to apprehend a migrant for an unknown offence. He escaped their clutches by ­diving into the sea and swimming towards the Rock of Gibraltar while they filmed helplessly. Sebastian Sutzl, head of Spain’s CEP police union in Madrid, says that crime in Ceuta has increased eightfold since July 30, leading to numerous arrests. An extra 500 Civil Guard officers have been drafted in to support the 1,100-strong regular force guarding the overseas territory. Trampolin Beach became the site of an alleged act of barbarism last week when a baby dolphin was killed and pictures of its lifeless body being hoisted into the air went viral on social media. The migrants we spoke to claimed not to have any knowledge of the incident. One was Sudanese computer science student Fares Haroun, who also reached Ceuta by swimming across to the town on July 31. Fares, 21, said: “I came because my friend told me, ‘The border is open’. “I don’t think he was lying. “I believe the border was open for an hour-and-a-half and then it closed. “I know they don’t want us here. “The locals hate us and tell us to go home. “One of my friends was attacked and slashed with a knife.” Powerfully built boxer Rayame Boutalia sported a long, prominent scar on the left side of his face, which he said was the result of a car accident. Rayame, 23, from Blida, Algeria, said: “I’m a fighter and a boxer and I want to travel to Spain to continue my training. “One day you will watch me on TV. “I trained in Qatar for three years until 2023 and after that I went to Turkey, but I didn’t like it there because there was no work so I went back to Algeria and now I’m here. “Everyone is here because we want a better life for ourselves and our families.” Imad Mamry is one of the lucky ones. This week he was celebrating being handed papers allowing him to travel to mainland Spain, ­having applied to migrate legally. Iman, 34, from Algiers, said: “I came here on July 10 so I’ve been here a long time — two months. “I live in the official camp, which is full now with about 1,000 people inside. “It is crazy here, especially in the first few weeks. “It was a bad ­situation. “People were fighting over food and things and there was a lot of military. “Soon I will get my papers and then I can buy a ferry ticket and start my journey to Belgium. “Before, it was easy to go to the mainland. “It would take two or three months. “Now it takes a lot longer.” Moroccan migrant Mohammed Achaoui arrived in Ceuta on August 10. Standing with his friend Billal Boudamei, 17, he was one of many who admitted heading to Spain for economic reasons. Mohammed, 21, from the northwestern Moroccan city of Tangier, said: “There is no work in my country. “I don’t have a father or mother that could help me and I was living on the street. “I came for a better life, but I am starting to lose hope. “There is no law here. “People have attacked me and tried to steal from me. “It happens every night. “But I speak a little English and I want to improve it. “My dream is to reach the UK. “I love London.” 4 comments4