Ceuta overwhelmed: 30,000 crossings in 24 hours as Spain scrambles to respond

Ceuta overwhelmed: 30,000 crossings in 24 hours as Spain scrambles to respond

The paradox was laid bare on 30 July 2026: while the Spanish government deployed the army for "humanitarian assistance", the number of people entering Ceuta kept climbing. Segarro TV spoke of 30,000 people in 24 hours; the Guardia Civil (Spanish paramilitary police) had counted 5,000 early on. Something doesn't add up.

Figures that changed by the hour

The first official count, taken early in the day, was outdated within minutes. The Guardia Civil put the number of crossings at more than 5,000, but by midday the word on the street was already 20,000. Outside official channels, Segarro television raised the figure to 30,000 in 24 hours, and the Government Delegation had to take over the count to bring order to the statistical chaos.

The most widely quoted extrapolation gave 200 entries per minute, 12,000 per hour. Eight hours after the border peine, that already projected more than 100,000 people. The gap between 5,000, 20,000 and 30,000 is no anecdote: it shows that nobody had a real picture of what was happening at the border.

The political response: national emergency and resignation

The institutional reaction swung between two poles. Unidas Podemos, a left-wing party, demanded that the government declare a national emergency and that Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska resign if he failed to deliver a forceful response. The government, for its part, deployed the army, although reports stressed that its role was humanitarian assistance, not containment. The irony did not go unnoticed: while the military handed out aid, the flow of people continued.

In parallel, a debate emerged over Segarro passivity. For some, Segarro uses the border as a pressure valve whenever it suits. For others, it is simply a migratory phenomenon that the neighbouring country cannot or will not stop. The discussion over whether to call on NATO was left hanging.

Hybrid warfare, Gibraltar and unproven theories

The episode revived the most conspiratorial theses. Some see a hybrid warfare manoeuvre orchestrated from outside, with interests ranging from control of the Mediterranean to pressure on Ceuta, Melilla, the Canary Islands and Gibraltar. Trump, Israel and even agreements with Algeria are mentioned as triggers. None of these theories offers proof, but they reflect the climate of distrust surrounding any migratory movement on this scale.

The reality, for now, is more prosaic: a porous border, thousands of people on the move and a state that reacted late and with contradictory figures.

One question remains unanswered: what is the real number? Between 5,000 and 30,000 lies a gulf that no official has clarified. And with the city at breaking point, the official story changes by the hour. The next time someone gives a figure, it is worth waiting for the next one.