What happened

On Wednesday, 2 September 2026, Barcelona held a public gathering in solidarity with the autonomous city of Ceuta, one month after around 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta irregularly from Morocco. The event coincided with Ceuta Day and formed part of nationwide demonstrations across Spain. The main rally in the Catalan capital began at 8:00 PM in Plaça de Sant Jaume, directly in front of Barcelona City Hall and the Palau de la Generalitat, the seat of the regional government. Slogans included "Barcelona with Ceuta" and "Ceuta is not alone", reflecting widespread civic concern over the ongoing migration crisis.

Location and transport advice

The gathering was static, meaning no official march route was planned and no general road closures were announced for central Barcelona. However, the Urban Guard retained authority to impose temporary access restrictions if large crowds required it. Streets likely to see disruptions include Ferran, Jaume I, Ciutat, Llibreteria, and Bisbe, all of which lead into or border the Gothic Quarter plaza. Given the area’s narrow layout and existing traffic controls, authorities advised avoiding private vehicles in the city centre during the evening and using public transport instead.

The Casa de Ceuta in Barcelona supported the event location and encouraged participants to act with "respect, serenity and a spirit of coexistence", though it clarified it was not formally organising the gathering.

Institutional stance and wider Catalonia events

Barcelona City Council did not officially endorse the demonstration. Daniel Sirera, leader of the Partido Popular (PP) in Barcelona, had requested that Mayor Jaume Collboni attend and display Ceuta’s flag on City Hall, but the municipal government chose to remain neutral. Meanwhile, Badalona and Castelldefels hosted institutional events formally convened by their respective town halls. In Badalona, Mayor Xavier García Albiol called for a concentration under the slogan "Badalona with Ceuta!" Across Catalonia, rallies were scheduled at 8:00 PM in multiple municipalities:

  • Province of Barcelona: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Sabadell, Terrassa, Cornellà de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat, Pallejà, Vallirana, and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia
  • Province of Tarragona: Tarragona, Reus, El Vendrell
  • Province of Girona: Girona, Figueres, Puigcerdà
  • Province of Lleida: Main event at Plaça de la Paeria

All four Catalan provinces saw participation, marking a coordinated regional expression of support.

Reported by elconfidencial.com, abc.es, El Confidencial.