Ceuta united: 280 rallies against Sánchez on Sept. 2

More than 280 municipalities stand with Ceuta: The Sept. 2 that worries Moncloa

How many people are really behind a call described as civic? On September 2, 2026, the Day of Ceuta, the question ceased to be rhetorical: more than 280 rallies were called across Spain under the common slogan "Ceuta unites us." No single party stood behind the banner, but rather a heterogeneous mix of civil society, town halls, and a municipal federation that called for simultaneous mobilization. The result was a map of events stretching from Las Palmas to Bilbao via Málaga, Murcia, San Sebastián and Madrid, with Plaza de Cibeles serving as the showcase at 20:00 hours.

Who is calling: FEMP, town halls and civil society

The institutional side came through the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), which promoted simultaneous acts in numerous cities and drew along town councils of various political signs. Madrid confirmed its presence at Cibeles at 20:00; Móstoles, Almería, Murcia and Las Palmas joined with their own messages. In Cabanillas del Campo, a municipality in Guadalajara, the mayor opted for the written route: a letter to the president of Ceuta, Juan Vivas, to convey "solidarity and closeness in the face of the difficult situation the city is facing."

The institutional detail left some curiosities. The adhesion of that same Castilian town hall circulated with the Italian flag in the header instead of the Spanish one, and no one corrected it. Between the rush to join and the desire to appear, protocol is the first thing to fall by the wayside.

From support for Ceuta to confrontation with the Government

On paper, the event was an embrace of the autonomous city. In practice, the recipient of the reproach was clear: La Moncloa. The organizers placed responsibility for the border situation on the government and also pointed towards Rabat. A portion of the attendees chanted slogans demanding the resignation of the president, who was even called a traitor. These are protest mottos, not judicial indictments: it is important not to confuse shouting with legal rulings.

The President of the Government himself appeared during the day, amidst pressure that his critics described as unprecedented. Some argue that the call has cost the Executive the narrative of the street; the counter-argument weighs that a banner does not change foreign policy nor move a border.

From Cibeles to Bilbao: where it filled up and where it didn't

Málaga appeared packed and several small centers responded above expectations. Las Palmas called for Santa Ana Square; San Sebastián proge up with the town hall covered in Spanish flags; Bilbao provided the most circulated image: the national anthem sounding in a city where such a gesture is not habitual. The counterpoint came from skeptics, who warned before the event that without 200,000 people in the streets, the mobilization would remain just a toast.

The battle that doesn't show up in the squares

The other fight took place on screen. Criticisms of TVE's coverage and the tone of its current affairs programs multiplied during the day, with accusations of minimizing the call and confusing the narrative. The public broadcaster is not the only actor involved, but it is the one that turns a rally into a state of opinion.

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It remains to be seen if the squares full on a Wednesday translate into something more than photographs. The anthem sounded in Bilbao, the Donostia town hall filled with flags, and the president appeared. Whether this changes anything at the Ceuta border is, to date, undemonstrated.