Ceuta: migrants set fire to bins and vehicles in night of unrest

The autonomous city of Ceuta, Spain, has experienced a night of serious incidents with the deliberate burning of vehicles and bins, as well as brawls between groups of migrants, raising concerns about public safety.

## Fires and tension across the city

The night of **7 September 2026** was particularly eventful in **Ceuta**. Several fires broke out at different points in the city, with a total of **three vehicles** and **several bins** burned out. The flames also affected woodland areas and illegal settlements. Police and Fire and Rescue Service sources confirmed that these were "deliberate burnings". The affected vehicles were located in the **Polígono** industrial estate, near the **Imserso** building, in **Hadú** and in the **Cría Caballar** area. In one case, a tree near the burning car was also damaged.

## Brawls and mounting pressure on services

The fires were accompanied by **several fights** between groups of migrants, which took place at **Trampolín** beach and in the vicinity of the **Polígono**. One of these brawls occurred shortly before one of the vehicles was set on fire. The Unified Association of Civil Guards (AUGC) has described the early hours as "complicated", noting that an officer was injured by a stone thrown at him while responding to a call. The association warns that these events are not isolated incidents and is calling for an urgent reinforcement of security and emergency deployments in the city. The increase in calls to **112** over incidents has been put at **150%** since the end of July, with fights among the main reasons.

## The risk of escalation

The situation raises understandable concern about the possibility of the flames spreading, especially where fires break out near infrastructure or security zones, as peine near the border fence. Firefighters had already warned about the danger of fires in these areas and the difficulties posed by uncontrolled blazes. The burning of belongings in illegal settlements in the city's woodland, such as at **Arroyo de las Bombas** in the **Príncipe** neighbourhood, compounds this risk.