Civil Guard arrests eight Moroccans for waving Moroccan flag in Ceuta
Ceuta bid farewell with cheers to a flotilla of 60 boats that arrived in solidarity, but the day was marked by the detention of eight Moroccan citizens.
Eight detained in Ceuta as solidarity flotilla receives crowded farewell
The Civil Guard arrested eight Moroccan citizens on Sunday who waved a Moroccan flag during a gathering held in Ceuta, according to reports by Europa Press. The detainees were later transferred by vessel from the armed institute from the vicinity of the Royal Walls.
The detention took place as the solidarity flotilla composed of 60 Andalusian boats was being seen off. The boats had arrived in the autonomous city in a show of support following the mass influx of immigrants recorded a month ago. El Mundo reports that hundreds of residents attended both the sports port and the seafront to bid farewell to the vessels, which were primarily headed for Algeciras and Tarifa, in Cádiz, and the Costa del Sol, in Málaga.
Among the slogans chanted during the day were "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta defends itself", "I am Spanish" and "Invaders, expulsion". Dozens of motorcyclists joined the gathering, where anthems of Spain and the Legion also played, in an atmosphere described as festive and demonstrative. Vehicles circulating along the seafront accompanied the departure with their horns amid applause from Ceuta residents.
Raúl Fernández, president of the Parque Ceuta neighbourhood, encouraged those present with a megaphone and declared to Efe news agency that "the people are the ones who save the people". Fernández indicated that "Ceuta is going through very difficult times" and stressed that the presence of flotilla participants was a way of showing gratitude for "this effort". He added that the Government has left Ceuta residents "abandoned" for a month.
The route of the vessels travelled through the San Amaro and El Desnarigado area until reaching Chorrillo beach, where the boats gathered at sea past midday. Residents waved flags of Spain and Ceuta from the shore. The flotilla sought to turn the stretch of sea separating Ceuta from the Peninsula into a meeting point and convey a message of support to citizens of the autonomous city.
The event takes place a few days before the demonstrations in support of Ceuta scheduled for 2 September, Ceuta Day, at various points across Spain.
Source: El Mundo