Residents in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta are up in arms over government plans to erect a large migrant camp just feet away from a nursery school, according to local reports. The proposed facility, intended to house up to 900 migrants, would be located in the Los Rosales neighborhood, behind the city’s old prison and directly adjacent to a daycare center that is set to welcome children within days.
Several thousand illegal migrants remain in Ceuta following a mass border crossing in July, many of whom are still living in makeshift tents constructed from garbage and reeds on the city’s beaches. In response, authorities have decided to build more permanent structures to accommodate the remaining migrants, but the chosen location has sparked fury among parents and teachers.
Spanish broadcaster SER reported that local parents and teachers staged a protest against the migrant camp, expressing grave concerns for the safety of their children. One resident said, “We’re complaining because the children won’t be able to study next to a settlement for who knows how many Moroccans.” Another nearby resident voiced frustration over what they perceive as an unfair burden, stating, “Those of us who live on the outskirts are always the ones who have to bear the brunt of it,” contrasting their situation with wealthier residents in the city center who rarely face such disruptions.
Rather than scrapping the plan or returning the migrants to Morocco, the local government is reportedly considering relocating the children to other daycare centers elsewhere in the city. That proposal has done little to assuage the anger of local families, who argue that the mere presence of a large migrant camp next to a school is unacceptable.
The decision to build migrant camps has also fueled tensions among the migrants themselves. Reports emerged this week of police being forced to fire warning shots as hundreds of migrants fought in a stampede to enter a supposedly temporary accommodation, underscoring the volatile atmosphere surrounding the migrant situation in Ceuta.
Concerns about placing migrant camps near children are not unfounded, according to recent statements by Ceuta’s chief prosecutor, Silvia Rojas. She noted that a sexual assault has been reported to authorities nearly every day since the July invasion. These incidents include at least nine alleged sexual assaults against children, with the youngest victim being just 10 years old.
A Pattern of Concerns
The planned camp in Los Rosales is not an isolated case. The city has been struggling to manage the influx of migrants, with thousands still residing in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. The Spanish government has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with some local officials demanding stronger action to deport migrants back to Morocco.
Parents and teachers in Los Rosales argue that the government’s approach prioritizes the needs of migrants over the safety of local children. “It’s unacceptable that our kids have to be exposed to this risk,” one teacher said during the protest. The protest is expected to continue unless the government offers a viable alternative.
As of now, Ceuta’s local government has not released an official statement on the matter, but sources suggest that pressure is mounting to find a different site for the camp. However, with limited space in the small exclave, options remain scarce.
The controversy comes at a time when immigration is a sensitive political issue across Spain and Europe, with many calling for stricter border controls and faster deportation procedures. The situation in Ceuta serves as a microcosm of the broader challenges facing the continent as migration flows continue.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/09/06/ceuta-parents-rage-as-migrant-camp-planned-next-to-childrens-nursery/