Palma protest: up to 19,000 demand Sánchez quit

Thousands packed Plaça de Cort in Palma, Mallorca, on Wednesday evening to back Ceuta and demand Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez resign. Palma City Council put the turnout at 19,000, while the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands, citing National Police information, estimated about 8,000. The demonstration began at 20.00 after more than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta at the end of July.

The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces called the protests across Spain. Balearic Islands president Marga Prohens and Palma mayor Jaime Martínez attended, alongside members of Ceuta's community on Mallorca.

Spanish flags and the national anthem featured prominently. Chants backed Ceuta and called for Sánchez to quit; some people also shouted anti-migrant slogans. A small number displayed symbols from before Spain's constitution, praised Franco or chanted against King Felipe.

Martínez read a manifesto outside Palma Town Hall, describing extraordinary pressure on Ceuta's resources and public services. He called on Spain's government to secure and control the border, provide the city with resources and ensure the return, with safeguards, of people he said had entered illegally. He also rejected hatred and racism.

The rally remained peaceful for more than an hour. After the authorities officially declared it over, a growing group resumed anti-Sánchez chants when a song was played through a Town Hall loudspeaker, until the music was switched off.

Prohens said police documents submitted to the courts showed, in her view, that events at Ceuta's border were an organised attack rather than a migration crisis. She called it the most serious situation in recent democratic history and demanded answers from the Spanish government.

Elsewhere on Mallorca, rallies were held in Marratxí, Llucmajor, Valldemossa, Andratx, Alcúdia, Inca and other towns. The Government Delegation, using Guardia Civil information, put combined attendance at those events at around 2,281.

Topics: Police · Protests · Migration · Politics · Palma · Marratxí · Llucmajor · Valldemossa · Andratx · Algaida · Sineu · Llubí · Alcúdia · Santa Margalida · Binissalem · Inca · Costitx · Muro · Sa Pobla · Selva · Felanitx · Santanyí · Artà

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com