Spain boosts security in Ceuta amid calls for mass border rush

Spain has reinforced its security forces in Ceuta, its North African enclave, following online appeals for another mass border breach. This comes two weeks after a surge of tens of thousands of migrants entered the city, an event that led to at least 96 deaths and over 72,000 entries according to Spanish government estimates.

Soldiers and police patrolled Ceuta's streets, though the atmosphere was calmer than in the immediate aftermath of the July 30 rush. Moroccan security forces maintained a visible presence on the beaches of Fnideq, from where many migrants departed.

While most migrants who entered Ceuta voluntarily returned to Morocco, the crisis strained EU relations and fueled anti-immigration sentiment globally. Spain has since installed a maritime barrier and sent over 500 additional police officers. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that personnel would remain as long as necessary to prevent a recurrence of the July 30 events.

Approximately 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta. The minister indicated that most asylum cases were rejected and that individuals without a right to remain would be returned to Morocco, with exceptions for extreme vulnerability. Morocco has stated it is monitoring social media for calls to mass crossings and will prosecute organizers and participants.

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We'll continue to deploy whatever personnel are necessary to restore normality as soon as possible and prevent events like those of July 30 from happening again.