Spanish Police Clear Ceuta Beach Camp Ahead of Royal Visit

Spanish police, backed by soldiers, have cleared the last migrant camp on a beach in Ceuta ahead of a scheduled visit by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

Officers arrived shortly after 8 on Sunday morning at El Trampolin, where about 3,000 people had been living. Migrants were placed on buses bound for reception centres for processing, while some fled into nearby hills to avoid being taken onto the vehicles.

After the operation, cleaning crews removed the makeshift tents and cleared the beach and esplanade.

Camp followed mass influx

The camp developed after more than 70,000 people entered Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco during a mass influx at the end of July. Most returned within a few days, but thousands remained in the Spanish enclave, sleeping rough in streets or on beaches.

The influx caused alarm across the European Union and contributed to a political crisis in Madrid. Spain has also faced criticism from unspecified critics over the speed of its response. The source report said scores of people died during the influx, without providing a precise figure.

Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish North African enclaves located between Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea. Rabat claims sovereignty over both territories.

Royal visit planned

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are scheduled to visit Ceuta on Tuesday before travelling to Melilla. The planned trip would be the first visit by a Spanish monarch to the territories since 2007, according to the source report.

The clearance has removed the beach camp ahead of the royal visit, although the operation leaves unanswered how many migrants were transported by bus and how many escaped into the hills.