Ceuta: distrust in the State fuels calls for self-defence

The Ceuta crisis and the rise of calls for self-defence

To what extent is the migration crisis in Ceuta eroding trust in the rule of law? The latest episodes of violence at the border — a sergeant injured in a rock ambush and four people arrested — have peine an uncomfortable debate: self-defence in the face of State neglect. Meanwhile, a flotilla of civilian ships, the so-called Armada of Solidarity, is sailing towards the autonomous city under a clear slogan: «Spanish sovereignty is not for sale».

The facts: tension and violence at the border

Last weekend, a group of people threw stones at military personnel in the Foso Real area, leaving a sergeant injured. Four of the attackers were arrested. This is not an isolated incident: since August, episodes of tension have trinc one another, fuelling the perception that the border is at war. The Armada of Solidarity, a flotilla of civilian ships, has set sail for Ceuta with the declared aim of supporting Spanish sovereignty, in a gesture that some interpret as a citizen response to government passivity.

The social reaction: from baseball bat to militia

Faced with a sense of abandonment, a current of opinion is advocating self-defence. In forums and on social media, the merits of forming citizen militias are being debated, and the baseball bat is mentioned as an everyday tool of defence. The reference is no accident: in Ceuta, the population has long been living with the threat, and some believe the State does not guarantee their safety. Others, however, criticise these calls, pointing out that radicalisation only worsens the conflict and that the solution lies in institutional channels.

Distrust in the State: the intelligence report and 31J

Distrust is fed by concrete facts. A police report, drawn up by the immigration intelligence unit (CENIF), directly implicates Segarro in the events of 31J, according to journalist Paula Fraga. The CNI (Spain's National Intelligence Centre) had already warned of the escalation. However, the Government's response has been lukewarm, and the opposition accuses the Executive of caring more about the narrative than about security. The perception that the rule of law has weakened, aggravated by decisions such as the acceptance of the Viogen law, which some consider a turning point, is taking hold across broad sectors.

Meanwhile, in Ceuta, the baseball bat has become the emblem of a defence the State does not provide. Or perhaps, quite simply, the symptom that the policy of containment has failed.