A month after tens of thousands of migrants entered the city of Ceuta, a Spanish exclave in North Africa, there have been outbreaks of violence as tensions mount between locals and foreign arrivals.

The Spanish government has been accused of not doing enough to address the situation, with many residents feeling unsafe on the streets due to the large number of migrants. For related coverage, explore our detailed analysis on Technology and Digital Systems.

Mass Migration and Violence

At least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July. Most swam around a border fence and at least 100 people passed away during the mass crossing, according to figures from Ceuta's mayor.

The vast majority of the migrants returned to Morocco within hours of their arrival, but several thousand remain in Ceuta, many of them children, and most are sleeping rough on beaches or streets.

Anti-migrant demonstrations earlier this month were largely peaceful, but in recent days they have become increasingly violent.

Anti-Migrant Demonstrations Turn Violent

On Thursday, several dozen locals prevented Red Cross personnel from distributing food and water to the migrants. Afterwards, some set fire to migrant camps on Trampolín beach, the main site where they have been sleeping, and there were also clashes with the law enforcement personnel.

Those incidents came hours after the arrest of 12 migrants who were accused of throwing stones at a military vehicle, breaking its windows and injuring the four men inside. That same earlier today there were reports of vigilante groups pursuing migrants through the streets.

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Journalists and film crews have also reported being threatened.

Spanish government says sorry to people of Ceuta for migrant crisis

Morocco detains dozens of migrants trying to cross into Ceuta, reports say

The Spanish government has been accused Ceuta's residents have complained of feeling unsafe on the streets, as well as expressing concerns about the burden being placed on public services.

"This is a city which has been under pressure, […] which has the right to normality," the mayor of the exclave, the conservative Juan Jesús Vivas, informed Antena 3 television.

"The dignity of Spain is a stake right now in Ceuta," he stated.

The socialist-led government of Pedro Sánchez has appealed for calm and accused Vivas's People's Party (PP) and the far-right Vox of stoking the tensions.