Moroccan police arrested 111 migrants on Saturday as they prevented a second attempt to enter Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta. The surge followed social media calls for a mass crossing, occurring two weeks after a previous influx left at least 96 people dead and heightened tensions across Europe.
Those detained included 109 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and two Moroccan citizens arrested near Fnideq, the Moroccan city opposite Ceuta, according to a source in Morocco's Interior Ministry. Moroccan police used tear gas to disperse groups of migrants gathered on hills approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from the border, reported Spanish news agency EFE.
In Ceuta, Spanish soldiers guarded supermarkets and police patrolled the enclave's streets, with the situation calmer than in the immediate aftermath of the July 30 crossing attempt. Madrid has since reinforced its border security, installing a maritime barrier and deploying over 500 additional police officers, bringing the total in Ceuta to more than 1,600.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that reinforcements would remain as long as necessary to restore normality and prevent recurrences of the July events. Approximately 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta, he added, with many sheltering from the heat under makeshift structures on El Trampolin beach.
Grande-Marlaska also indicated that migrants entering irregularly would not be permitted to remain in the enclave, travel to mainland Spain, or obtain legal status, except in cases of extreme vulnerability. Those without a right to remain would be returned to Morocco.
Earlier in the week, Rabat announced it was monitoring social media posts calling for a mass crossing on August 15 and warned that organizers and participants would be prosecuted. Security near the border was visibly enhanced, with police vans equipped with wire shields and road checkpoints. Similar measures were reportedly in place near Spain's other North African enclave, Melilla.
Authorities attempted to prevent some migrants from reaching northern Morocco by intercepting them in cities such as Casablanca, Fez, and Kenitra. However, some migrants reportedly bypassed security checkpoints by taking mountain routes toward Fnideq. Schools in Fnideq have reportedly been converted into accommodation for security forces deployed near the border.
Some migrants who successfully crossed into Ceuta on July 30 have spoken out, with one 22-year-old from Fez advising others against attempting the dangerous journey. "The important thing I would advise people trying to cross: Don't cross now, my brothers. You're only going to suffer," he told Reuters.
Another migrant, 17-year-old Adil Jamil, suggested that the mass crossings are planned by groups who coordinate a date and cross together to increase their chances. "If I had stayed with my parents, I would've died slowly. But if I risk my life, arrive and build my future ... it will be better," he stated.
Online messages found on forums where migrants discuss mobilization indicated plans for the Ceuta border to be open on August 15, a public holiday in Spain. Morocco's Ministry of the Interior spokesperson, Rachid el-Jalfi, stated that all necessary measures were in place to prevent illegal crossings and urged people to ignore suspicious online messages due to the safety risks involved.
In the wake of the July influx, Spain's judicial body ruled that the procedure for returning migrants only applied when a physical border was breached, not when entry was by sea. This ruling affects how migrants arriving by sea can be returned. The crisis on July 30 saw over 72,000 migrants enter Ceuta, prompting Spain to announce and begin installing a maritime containment barrier on August 1.
The influx also led to diplomatic tensions within the European Union, with Italy temporarily suspending Schengen arrangements with Spain and introducing checks on travelers arriving from the country. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni characterized the situation as a national security threat, leading Spain to summon the Italian ambassador and suspend its own Schengen arrangements with Italy.
Spanish authorities are processing migrants remaining in Ceuta, using warehouses to temporarily house them while identification and potential returns to Morocco are organized. Allegations of rape involving several young migrant girls who arrived in Ceuta have also emerged, with judicial proceedings opened for some cases, though no arrests have yet been made.