Spanish Police Under Investigation for Alleged Assault on Moroccan Soccer Fans in Ceuta

A video circulating on social media shows a heavy-handed police intervention on Saturday evening in downtown Ceuta. It shows how at least four agents from the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) of the local police hit three women who were on the spot with their batons, reports the website of the Spanish television channel Antena3.

In a post published on social media and taken up by the local press, Fatiha Ahmed Mohamed, one of the three women targeted by the police intervention, testifies: "After Morocco’s victory against Portugal, we decided to go out and celebrate it, without harming anyone, just celebrate with my Muslim brothers, but apparently even that can’t be done." She claims to have had an altercation with the UIR. "The unit was motionless, doing absolutely nothing, and suddenly it started hitting left and right, without any reason," she deplored.

And to wonder: "Why? What have we done to be treated this way, to celebrate a victory with our Muslim brothers? That has a name and it’s racism." According to Fatiha, if it had been Spain who had won, they would have celebrated themselves with sound tracks and had a party. "It won’t stay that way. We’re fed up with racism. A lot of things are said [...] against gender-based violence, but they don’t set an example by coldly attacking women."