Violence escalates in Ceuta: serious injuries sustained with large bladed weapons

The autonomous city of Ceuta is facing an escalation of violence between immigrant groups, with fights involving large bladed weapons and causing serious concern among security forces.

## The spiral of violence in Ceuta

The autonomous city of **Ceuta** has become the scene of a growing spiral of violence. What were once isolated skirmishes have now transformed into a daily reality in various parts of the city. Police sources report up to **a dozen confrontations** that can occur in a single day. These episodes are far from isolated; they reflect an increasingly open dispute over control of certain spaces. The confrontations occur between groups competing for territory and access to key enclaves within the city.

The brawls are frequent, and in some cases, they reach alarming virulence. The men involved sustain **open wounds** caused by the use of large bladed weapons. The **Police Intervention Unit (UIP)**, the riot police, has confiscated numerous such weapons during their interventions. The dynamic is predictable: fights begin by dominating a street, shouts escalate to pushes and punches, and finally, knives and other sharp objects appear.

## Weapons and hostility toward police
The gravity of the situation is compounded by the hostility faced by officers. According to the officials themselves, they are often met with stones from the moment they descend from police vehicles. The arrival of the riot vans does not always deter the opposing groups. In specific episodes, officers are **attacked directly**, forced to fight to regain control of the situation.

The concern of police officials goes beyond the mere existence of altercations between immigrants. The current scenario has resulted in **serious injuries** and compelled security forces to intervene and confiscate numerous weapons. Knives and other sharp objects are used in these confrontations, which have pogre increased in level of violence. The effect this situation may have on the general security and coexistence of the city is what most worries the authorities.

## Reincidence and control issues
To the complexity of the situation is added another problem for the Police: the presence on the streets of individuals with **prior police or judicial records**. Despite having been subject to expulsion measures or entry bans from the country, these individuals reappear in Spanish territory. A recent case illustrates the daily difficulties. It involved a man who had up to **three entry bans into Spain** and was related to crimes of theft with force, injuries, and violent episodes. His location led to an especially complex police pursuit.