Tens of thousands in Spain protest Ceuta border crisis

CEUTA, Spain (AP) — The city of Ceuta, a tiny speck of Spanish territory perched on the northern African coast, normally celebrates its Sept. 2 annual official holiday largely ignored by the mainland.

But not this year, after Ceuta became the epicenter of Spain's worst border crisis in living memory.

In lieu of festivities, tens of thousands of people took to the streets Wednesday across Spain to protest the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ceuta, demanding solutions and blaming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for his government's handling of it.

In Madrid, authorities said some 50,000 protesters turned out. After the demonstration ended, an Associated Press journalist heard shots and explosions. Spanish newspaper El País reported that police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.

There were significant turnouts also in Barcelona, Valencia and Seville.

Waving Spanish flags, demonstrators shouted “A united Ceuta will never be defeated," “Sánchez to prison" and "Invaders — go home!” referring to the thousands of migrants still in the city.

In late July, about 72,000 people swam, scrambled or charged into the small Spanish territory neighboring Morocco, with at least 90 dying in the effort to reach Europe.

Most of the migrants quickly returned or were ushered back over the border, but around 5,000, including 1,200 minors, remain in Ceuta weeks later, according to the national government. Ceuta's local government cites a higher figure. Difficult questions likewise linger over what caused the mass crossing that the government says was fueled by an online campaign on social media.

The sudden influx of tens of thousands of migrants into Ceuta, which has a population of about 84,000, put a huge strain on resources and angered many residents. Local authorities said that Spain's central government ignored warning signs before the border was breached.

“What happened to us was not a migratory crisis,” Ceuta's regional leader, Juan Jesús Vivas, said during an institutional act on Wednesday to mark the holiday. “What happened was the violation of Spain's territorial integrity.”

Vivas is a member of Spain's leading conservative Popular Party, which, with Spain's far-right Vox party, has latched onto the Ceuta crisis and made it the focus of a political fight to oust the left-wing national government in Madrid.

The official organizer of Wednesday's protests in Madrid and more than 200 other cities and towns was the nonpartisan Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces. But the protests were promoted by the PP and Vox, which is strongly against irregular migration.

Spain’s minister of territorial policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, told Spanish National Radio that the protests were politically motivated.

“This is not to show support for the city of Ceuta or its residents; it is to attack the government of Spain,” Torres said.

The government has denied claims it has left Ceuta behind. This week, it earmarked 309 million euros ($357 million) to aid the city's social services, with special attention to housing migrants, its economy and security.

Many in Spain have asked if Morocco's government could have done more to prevent the frontier breakthrough.

Sánchez, however, has repeatedly defended the Moroccan authorities, saying they were swift to help in the return of most of the migrants. On Monday, the Spanish leader alleged — without presenting any evidence — that other countries had amplified disinformation related to the crisis.

“There is no information from any of our intelligence services that points to the participation of Moroccan authorities,” Sánchez told Cadena Ser radio on Monday.

Sánchez, who faces an election next year, said that a misinterpretation of a Supreme Court ruling and disinformation spread on social media encouraged people to rush the border.

The prime minister has also accused social media accounts linked to Russia and Israel and right-wing groups of exploiting and amplifying the Ceuta crisis after it happened on July 30 and 31. Israel and Russia have refuted that claim.

“Without facts, without materials backed up by numbers, dates, names, there is simply nothing to talk about,” Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters.

Sánchez’s government didn't provide examples of Russian or Israeli disinformation campaigns, instead citing internal reports from its Foreign Affairs Ministry and the European Commission's diplomatic service.

Many migrants, including unaccompanied minors, remain sleeping in the streets and camped on a beach despite authorities’ efforts to shelter, register and deport those who are eligible back to Morocco.

“We’re suffering and we want to get to Europe or find a solution right now. Here, we’re all sleeping on the beach and having a really hard time,” Moroccan Nebil Tazi told The Associated Press. “We’ve been waiting for a month, waiting for a solution here, but there isn’t one.”

Vivas, Ceuta's leading official, said that the focus should be on getting the autonomous city back to “normality,” as he vowed to continue to pursue the “truth” behind the crisis.

He urged Spain's central government to reinforce and strengthen the border with Morocco instead of depending on cooperation with its neighbor.

“If we don't do this, there will always be someone tempted to use migration as a tool for political ends,” Vivas said.

In a recorded video message published Wednesday, Sánchez said his government was putting all resources so Ceuta's residents could return to tranquility.

The Ceuta holiday commemorates Sept. 2, 1415, when the first Portuguese governor disembarked a few weeks after Portuguese soldiers claimed the terrain. It then passed into Spanish hands in 1580.

The city normally celebrates the day with an official ceremony, musical performances and cultural programs.

Suman Naishadham contributed from Madrid. Joseph Wilson reported and Renata Brito contributed to this report from Barcelona.

This version has been corrected to clarify that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez alleged that other countries amplified disinformation related to the crisis, not that they spread disinformation that caused the crisis.

Migrants stand near their tents at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Migrants sit inside their tents at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Migrants stand near their tents at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Protesters march in support of Ceuta to mark the city's anniversary in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Protesters march in support of Ceuta to mark the city's anniversary in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Demonstrators prepare to take part in a protest in support of Ceuta marking the city's anniversary in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Protesters march in support of Ceuta to mark the city's anniversary in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Protesters march in support of Ceuta to mark the city's anniversary in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Protesters march in support of Ceuta to mark the city's anniversary in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Migrants stand at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Migrants take a shower near their tents at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

Migrants stand near their tents at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

A migrant sits on a rock at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

A migrant sits next to his tent at El Trampolín beach in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Francis González)

NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Shelton ended Carlos Alcaraz's title reign in the latest-finishing match in U.S. Open history, pulling out a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory in a marathon tussle that ended at 3:33 a.m. Wednesday.

Alcaraz had his 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam tournaments ended in a match that lasted 4 hours, 28 minutes.

Shelton next plays No. 11 seed Frances Tiafoe, who kept coming back until he had reached his third U.S. Open semifinal, beating Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10-6) on Tuesday.

The U.S. is guaranteed to have a representative in Sunday's final as it seeks its first men's major title since Andy Roddick lifted the title here in 2003.

Alcaraz had played in the previous latest finish at the U.S. Open when he outlasted Jannik Sinner in a match that finished at 2:50 a.m. in the 2022 quarterfinals en route to his first Grand Slam title at 19.

Thousands of fans stayed to the end and Shelton benefited from a home-crowd boost even against the popular Alcaraz, with fans in Arthur Ashe Stadium chanting his name along with “USA! USA!”

“It’s incredible," Shelton said. “I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world, I say that this is the greatest stadium in the world. I’m just hoping that my best friend and my sister over there don’t have to be at work at 6 a.m. in three hours.”

Three of the four singles quarterfinals went to match tiebreakers on a marathon day, which started with Aryna Sabalenka edging Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova to keep her hopes alive of a third straight U.S. Open title.

Alcaraz will have to wait for his next one.

Instead it was Shelton reaching his third major semifinal, having gotten to the final four in the 2023 U.S. Open and 2025 Australian Open.

He seized control by winning nine straight games from early in the second set until he had a 3-0 lead in the third. But Alcaraz, in his first tournament since April after returning from a right wrist injury, battled back even as he vomited before the start of the final set.

Alcaraz ran off four straight points in the tiebreaker to go ahead 5-3, but Shelton came back behind some of his powerful serves that can exceed 140 mph, along with some mistakes from Alcaraz. Shelton eventually finished it off with a 146 mph serve his opponent couldn't get back.

Alcaraz is now 15-2 in five-set matches. He won his seventh Grand Slam title at the Australian Open to start this year not long before his injury.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, celebrates after a point in the fifth set against Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, early Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, vomits into a towel after the fourth set against Ben Shelton, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, early Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Ben Shelton, of the United States, celebrates after a point in the fifth set against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, early Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Alex Michelsen, of the United States, slams his racket during a match against Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, right, and Alex Michelsen, of the United States, embrace after Tiafoe won their match during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Frances Tiafoe, of the United States, celebrates winning a match against Alex Michelsen, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)