# Ceuta Migrant Crisis

> Ceuta becomes Europe's migrant dehumanisation lab.
- Title: Ceuta Migrant Crisis · EUobserver | Shortify
- Summary: Ceuta becomes Europe's migrant dehumanisation lab. Ceuta's migrants face military rule, food shortages, and rights violations as Spain's government refuses…
- Keywords: ceuta, migrants, spain, red cross, vox, people's party, margarita robles, ceuta university hospital, medicos mundi, legion, military rule, human rights
- Source: EUobserver — https://euobserver.com/240761/ceuta-has-become-a-laboratory-for-the-degradation-and-dehumanisation-of-migrants
- Published: 2026-10-02T10:43:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ceuta, migrants, spain, red cross, vox, people's party, margarita robles, ceuta university hospital, medicos mundi, legion, military rule, human rights
## Ceuta's migrant crisis
We visited Ceuta to see how Europe treats people arriving at its borders and returned asking how Europe can still call itself a continent governed by law.
## Migrant conditions
Migrants sleep under plastic sheets, children lack protection, food is distributed under military guard, and allegations of beatings and torture are common.
## Ceuta as state of exception
Ceuta has become a state of exception where European law is suspended and arbitrary police and military rule prevails.
## Apartheid-like segregation
Ceuta is a city abandoned by Spain, Europe and the law, where people are segregated by origin in circumstances recalling apartheid regimes.
## Red Cross food distribution
The Red Cross distributes a single bag of cold food once daily under military guard to thousands of migrants who walk hours to reach it.
## Military interference
Military forces prevent the Red Cross from distributing food to 1,000 people and can remove people from queues or deny them food.
## Children on streets
Children live alone on streets without protection, and National Police refuse to identify them for help.
## Hospital treatment
Migrants face separate treatment at Ceuta University Hospital and military personnel prevent them from waiting inside, including minors.
## Torture allegations
Migrants report torture, beatings, theft, destruction of mobile phones, and forced head shaving or kneeling to kiss a Christian cross.
## Racial profiling
Military personnel prevent racialised people from entering city centres, shops and supermarkets based on skin colour or clothing.
## Key takeaway

Ceuta's migrants face military rule, food shortages, and rights violations as Spain's government refuses to transfer them to mainland Spain.