Anti-migrant demonstrations spread across parts of Spain over the weekend in the wake of the mass crossings into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, with far-right activists and protesters increasingly directing their racism at Moroccans.
At the port of Algeciras on Sunday, hundreds of Moroccan families travelling from France, the Netherlands and other European countries passed through during the annual Marhaba summer transit operation bound for Morocco.
These passengers who are vital to the economies of southern Spain have been called by groups of demonstrators as “Enemies of Spain” and “Moroccans Out”.
The protests come as Spanish authorities work to manage the aftermath of the biggest migration surge in years in the North African enclave, where most migrants have already left voluntarily to Morocco.
On Saturday, Alvise Perez, leader of anti-establishment movement Se Acabo La Fiesta (SALF), travelled to Ceuta accompanied by around 20 activists linked to the far-right group Nucleo Nacional. The activists said they had come to “defend Spain” following the crossings.
But their visit was met with hostility from local residents, according to witnesses.
Several counter-protesters confronted Perez, accusing him of exploiting a humanitarian and political crisis for political gain. Spanish National Police later escorted Perez and his entourage to the port after tensions escalated.
Members of Nucleo Nacional who had planned a gathering in the city centre were also escorted away under police protection as demonstrators followed them, sounding car horns and shouting insults.
Demonstrations were held outside Morocco’s embassy in Madrid and in front of Moroccan consulates in cities including Palma and Almeria.
According to Spanish media, around 1,200 people gathered outside the Moroccan embassy in Madrid, where they shouted racist slogans against Morocco.
Far-right activist Isabel Peralta also attended the Madrid protest. Peralta was previously convicted over hate speech related to an anti-Moroccan demonstration held in 2021.