Among those who attended was Esperanza G., a Zaragoza resident who arrived with her husband after hesitating until the last minute about whether to take part. “Unity makes us strong,” she told ARAGÓN DIGITAL. For her, being in the square was a way to show her support for those living through these days in the autonomous city. “Stay strong and do not give up,” she said in a message to the people of Ceuta.
Esperanza also said that she remains in contact with people stationed in the area, which ultimately convinced her to attend the gathering. “Things are very tough, things are very bad,” she said, describing what acquaintances there have reportedly told her. Her perception of what has happened in recent weeks led her to argue that citizens should “take to the streets” to show their support.
Pepe Mora also came to Plaza del Pilar out of concern about the situation. He described what happened as “an invasion” and called for more resources to control the border. Beyond that assessment, his message to the people of Ceuta was one of support: “Patience, which I believe they already have, and together we will succeed. With all of Spain's support, we will bring this to an end now.”
“THEY ARE NOT ALONE”
That sense of solidarity was echoed by other attendees. Two Zaragoza residents who preferred not to give their names said they considered it “important to be here today to defend the country and the Spanish people” and described the events as “an invasion of Spanish territory.” Their message, however, was directed, like so many others, at those living in Ceuta: “We are with them, they are not alone; it feels as if it happened to us.”
The gathering took place amid constant chants and applause, with thousands of people still enduring high temperatures late in the afternoon. Shouts of “Ceuta is not for sale,” “I am Spanish, Spanish, Spanish” and “Long live Spain, long live Ceuta” followed one another as the square continued to receive attendees even after the event had begun.
