MASS protests have erupted across Spain as tens of thousands line the streets to slam the government’s response to the migrant crisis in Ceuta.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been accused of abandoning residents in Ceuta after 72,000 migrants broke into the enclave and caused havoc in the city for days.
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The public outrage came as shocking new figures revealed there has been the equivalent of one sexual assault every day since the border breach.
Spanish prosecutors say 23 sexual assaults, including nine against young children, have been reported in Ceuta since the end of July.
Several arrests have been made with the majority of suspects being Moroccan or Spanish, Ceuta’s chief prosecutor Silvia Rojas said.
Both Ceuta locals and migrant girls are reportedly among the alleged victims.
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Major rallies took place across Spain this week in response to the crisis in Ceuta, where an estimated 5,000 migrants remain in the city.
The largest crowds came in Madrid and Barcelona where the streets were flooded with Spaniards waving flags and anti-government signs.
More than 200 cities hosted rallies, according to local media.
They were mostly planned and led by nonpartisan Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces.
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But the conservative Partido Popular (PP) party and the far-right Vox party quickly took over the largest of the marches in Madrid.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo claimed more than 50,000 people gathered in the capital.
Police had to fire rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.
At the event, Feijóo blasted Sánchez, who leads a left-wing government, claiming: “A Spanish city has been invaded, occupied and, unfortunately, this happened with the knowledge of the Government of Spain.”
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Vox leader Santiago Abascal added that he believes the unfavourable PM has acted like “a lackey of the Moroccan regime”.
The government has constantly rejected claims it didn’t act fast enough in response to the Ceuta trouble which started on July 30.
Tens of thousands of the migrants who entered the North African enclave voluntarily left and headed back to Morocco as those remaining were allowed to stay in makeshift camps after being rounded up by the army.
Protests in Ceuta saw these camps set on fire as locals tried to drive the migrants away after weeks of issues.
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Fury also came after Sánchez allocated £265 million to support Ceuta’s social services – including funding migrant housing.
Several counter-demonstrations were also held in some cities where participants accused protesters of racism.
At least 145 migrants died after they crossed into Ceuta on July 30 and 31 – sparking mass panic for locals in the enclave.
One man was accused of breaking into a woman’s flat and creeping into her bed wearing just his underwear.
Spain responded by bolstering its security and deploying 500 additional Civil Guard officers to its 1,100-strong force.
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Terrified locals said they had to cower in their homes for days as the migrants created “apocalyptic” scenes.
They were accused of “completely invading” the Spanish enclave with reports of shops being looted and cars set on fire.