One of the biggest European crises in recent years began with a rumor. We have no defense against it.

A massive influx of nearly 70,000 migrants to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, originating from Morocco, was reportedly driven by a widespread rumor: that Europe's borders were open. This event, described as one of the largest European crises in recent years, unfolded rapidly, overwhelming border controls.

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He had a picture on it, it depicted him and another North African man, they were sitting on the deck of an orange coast guard ship and smiling. They had wet hair.

The rumor spread like wildfire through social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Online posts and videos shared details of migrants successfully reaching Ceuta, along with information on swimming routes and patrol patterns of Spanish and Moroccan border guards. This created a powerful, albeit false, narrative of opportunity.

A journalist recounted an encounter with a young migrant who showed him a photo on his phone, depicting himself and another man smiling on a coast guard ship after attempting to swim to Europe. The migrants, with wet hair, had been drawn by the rumors of an open continent.

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They had tried to swim to Europe from Morocco because they had heard rumors that Europe was open.

The crisis underscores a critical vulnerability: the human mind as a target for hybrid warfare. While physical barriers like border fences can be constructed, the article argues that there is currently no effective defense against the manipulation of information and perception. This leaves societies exposed on a "cognitive battlefield."

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I had heard that Europe was open.