Full Breakdown
Ceuta Camp Evacuation Ahead of Royal Visit
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Operation Trampolín: Police Clear Trampolín Beach Camp
On October 4, Spanish police launched “Operation Trampolín” to dismantle the makeshift settlement on Trampolín beach in the North-African enclave of Ceuta. More than 350 officers from the Police Intervention Unit, the Prevention and Reaction Unit and other forces arrived from Seville, Granada, Málaga and other regions. The deployment included over 30 police vans, two BMR armoured vehicles, a VAMTAC off-road vehicle and, according to local reporting, additional armoured vehicles and a monitoring drone.
Migrants were instructed, in Arabic, to leave their tents. Women, children and most men were taken by bus to the Temporary Foreigners’ Assistance Center (CATE) near the Tarajal border crossing for triage and identification. The first bus departed shortly before 9 a.m. and the operation continued through the morning, with road closures between Benítez and Benzú beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Background to the July Mass Crossing
The camp originated after a sudden influx on July 30-31, when more than 70,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta. Most were returned within hours, but tens of thousands remained, creating a humanitarian and security crisis that has persisted for weeks. The enclave, home to 80,000 residents, has seen repeated police actions, including a prior clearance at Benítez beach.
Scale of the Migrant Presence
- More than 72,000 people crossed the border in late July (Spanish interior ministry spokesman, Straitstimes).
- Estimates of those still in Ceuta vary: the Spanish interior ministry cited around 3,000 people living on Trampolín beach (Straitstimes, Daily Mail); the Higher Police Headquarters reported more than 3,500 people in the settlement; Hespress quoted police estimates of over 3,500 residents.
- By early October, authorities said roughly 10,000 migrants remained in Ceuta’s streets, beaches or reception centres (Straitstimes, The Local).
Official Statements & Responses
- A Spanish interior ministry spokesman told Reuters that migrants were being moved to temporary accommodation for processing or voluntary return to Morocco.
- A Ceuta police spokeswoman confirmed the operation involved 350 officers, soldiers and armoured vehicles, and warned that the evacuation could be paused if reception-centre space ran out.
- Minister for Territorial Policy Ángel Víctor Torres Pérez announced that the government aims to finish the eviction by October 15.
Criticism & Opposition
The report accused the far-right party Vox and the centre-right People’s Party of fostering an environment that permits such abuses and of refusing to transfer migrants to mainland Spain.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Camp population figures differ: 3,000 (Spanish interior ministry, Straitstimes) versus 3,500 or more (Higher Police Headquarters, Euronews; Hespress).
- Details on the capacity of reception centres remain vague; officials warned of insufficient space but provided no precise figures.
What’s Next
- The Spanish government has set October 15 as the deadline to complete the eviction of the remaining beach encampments.
- King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are scheduled to visit Ceuta on October 13-14, marking the first royal visit to the enclave in 12 years.
- Authorities have indicated that the operation will continue in phases, contingent on the availability of accommodation in temporary reception facilities.