Police reportedly fired rubber bullets and used batons as thousands were moved from beaches to temporary housing

Spanish police have begun moving thousands of migrants from makeshift beach camps in the North African exclave of Ceuta in an operation that has quickly descended into chaos, according to media reports.

Crowds surged toward temporary shelters as officers struggled to maintain control, firing rubber bullets into the air and using batons.

The operation began early on Friday, with riot police and the Spanish military deployed to clear the makeshift camps and escort migrants to a new port camp. The facility is the fifth temporary reception center opened in Ceuta and can accommodate around 1,800 people, while an estimated 4,000 migrants have been living on the beaches.

Footage from local media shows hundreds crowding the designated route, with some breaking into a run as officers struggled to control the group. Police fired rubber bullets into the air and struck several people with batons before the situation calmed and migrants continued towards the port under escort.