Moroccan authorities apprehended over 100 individuals on Saturday as they attempted to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, amidst heightened security measures following social media calls for another mass migrant crossing. The incident occurred two weeks after a large influx of more than 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta, leading to EU tensions and fueling anti-immigration sentiments globally. Among those detained were 109 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and two Moroccan citizens near Fnideq, the city across from Ceuta.
Reports from Spanish news agency EFE indicated that Moroccan police used tear gas to disperse migrant groups near the border. Security forces, including officers in riot gear and plainclothes, were observed returning from the hills outside Fnideq. Additionally, journalists were ordered to leave Fnideq by Morocco’s Interior Ministry without explanation.
In Ceuta, Spanish military personnel guarded supermarkets while police maintained a strong presence in the city’s main streets. Madrid implemented a maritime barrier and deployed over 500 additional police officers from mainland Spain to Ceuta, bringing the total enforcement personnel to more than 1,600. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska emphasized the ongoing efforts to restore order and prevent future incidents like the one on July 30.
Approximately 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta, with provisions in place to ensure that those entering irregularly would not be allowed to stay, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except under exceptional circumstances. Rabat had warned against a mass crossing planned for August 15 and vowed to prosecute organizers and participants. Heightened security measures were also reported near the border and in Spain’s Melilla enclave.
Authorities thwarted several groups from traveling to northern Morocco via trains and buses, with some migrants from sub-Saharan Africa reportedly circumventing checkpoints by using mountain paths towards Fnideq. Schools in Fnideq were repurposed to accommodate security forces near the border.
Migrants present in Ceuta advised against further attempts to cross, emphasizing the risks involved and urging others to avoid similar actions. Concerns over the planned mass crossings were raised, with warnings about the lack of benefits and potential consequences. Plans for organized border crossings were cited as strategies to find strength in numbers and seek better opportunities for the future.