Spokeswoman Laura García of the police union Jupol reported an alarming increase in insecurity and crime across the autonomous city of Ceuta. Speaking on the television program El Cascabel on TRECE with host Ana Samboal, García stated that the massive arrival of people without financial resources has driven a surge in criminal offenses, including robberies, public altercations, and stabbings.
García reported that her own team experienced tense moments just minutes after landing in Ceuta, where several people confronted them in the streets. Because of the lack of public safety guarantees, the visiting team had to relocate their television recordings to the entrance of the Government Delegation building.
Despite the street tension, the union representative noted that local residents in Ceuta, along with deployed units of the National Police and Civil Guard, welcomed the visiting team with open arms. She added that residents in the area are demanding greater informational transparency from authorities, countering the official narrative provided by the Ministry of the Interior.
Police Accommodation and Resource Shortages
García strongly criticized the management of the Ministry of the Interior under Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, stating that police officers deployed to Ceuta face complete abandonment. She noted that officers are working under deplorable conditions without adequate official support.
According to the spokeswoman, officers must sleep in military facilities provided through the cooperation of the Spanish Army because the city lacks available hotel rooms and the daily compensation allowance of 40 euros is insufficient.
Security Deployment Numbers
García disputed official statements regarding security reinforcements on the ground, calling the current police presence inadequate to handle the situation. She stated that barely 200 officers from the Police Intervention Unit, known as the UIP, have been deployed to manage the ongoing migration crisis.
To highlight the shortfall, the union spokeswoman contrasted the 200 riot police officers in Ceuta with the nearly 10,000 security personnel who were mobilized across Spain to cover a solar eclipse event.
Reports of Sexual Violence Against Minors
The security situation in Ceuta has worsened following confirmed instances of physical violence and abuse targeted at women. García stated that sexual assaults against young girls are occurring in the city, noting that police have confirmed at least six formal complaints filed so far.
Among the documented incidents, García highlighted an extremely severe medical case involving a 14-year-old girl. Non-governmental organizations operating in Ceuta warned that many more attacks remain unreported to official authorities because isolated victims are terrified.
The union spokeswoman added that emergency police radio channels receive reports of sexual violence during every work shift. She noted that local citizens and plainclothes officers have stepped in on multiple occasions to stop ongoing attacks in public areas.
Community Concerns and Social Pressure
Adding to concerns over the situation in the city, local neighborhood representative Abdellah Mustafá warned of widespread institutional abandonment across Ceuta. Mustafá stated that the city sits on the verge of a social explosion and is experiencing a state of total collapse, calling on the national government to take immediate action.
