Saturday’s rally was organised by the right-wing civic group Sociedad Civil Española and backed by representatives of the conservative People’s Party (PP) and far-right Vox. Protesters accused Sánchez’s government of failing to protect the borders of Ceuta, Spain’s North African enclave.
The demonstrators called for an early election by mid-November. Vox also demanded that the prime minister face a treason trial. Spain’s next general election is currently scheduled for no earlier than August 2027.
The rally focused on the aftermath of events on 30 and 31 July, when more than 70,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, according to the report. Most were later returned, but thousands remain in the enclave. The Spanish government estimates that between 6,000 and 10,000 people are still stranded there.
Sánchez said Moroccan border controls had failed to manage the incident. He said an investigation was continuing and that Madrid had asked Rabat for answers. The July crossings brought unprecedented scenes and, the report says, dozens of migrants died.
PP secretary-general Miguel Tellado said many people felt the government had acted irresponsibly and with extreme negligence. Vox leader Santiago Abascal called for everyone who arrived in late July to be deported and again accused Sánchez of serving Morocco’s interests.
El País reported that the government planned to approve a decree on Tuesday to speed up returns from Ceuta to Morocco. Saturday’s rally was the second held under the March for Dignity banner. The previous one took place in late May, before the July crisis, and drew 40,000 people according to the government.