Spanish Soldiers Film Beatings as Thousands Protest Migration Crisis
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez faces mass protests in Madrid after footage emerged of Spanish soldiers assaulting migrants in the North African enclave of Ceuta.
Footage verified by El Diario shows Spanish soldiers beating migrants with batons and forcing them into roadside ditches in the North African enclave of Ceuta. The assaults occurred during a migration crisis that began in late July, when more than 72,000 people crossed from Morocco into the territory. While the Government of Spain condemned the violence and launched an internal investigation, the Spanish Ministry of Defence declined to answer specific questions and ordered soldiers to remove their names from uniforms.
In response to the crisis and the reported violence, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Madrid on Saturday. Organized by Sociedad Civil Española and supported by the People's Party and Vox, the rally targeted Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for failing to protect national borders. Attendance estimates varied wildly, with the government reporting 20,000 participants while organizers claimed 180,000.
Opposition leaders Miguel Tellado and Santiago Abascal joined the demonstrations, calling for early elections by mid-November and the deportation of all migrants who arrived in July. To address the instability, the Spanish government is reportedly preparing a decree-law to accelerate the return of the 6,000 to 10,000 migrants still stranded in makeshift beach camps in Ceuta.
