Spain to install containment fence on Ceuta's border with Morocco after frontier rush that killed 67

Spain announced it will erect a 500-meter containment barrier along the sea border of its North African territory Ceuta, adjacent to Morocco. This decision comes after an unprecedented influx of between 50,000 and 60,000 migrants who breached the frontier earlier this week.

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We are relentless against those who break the law.

The surge resulted in a tragic death toll that climbed to 67. Some migrants drowned, while others perished in a stampede near a breakwater barrier, according to the Spanish government. The situation has prompted strong reactions, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denouncing calls from some European Union leaders to suspend Spain from the bloc's borderless Schengen zone. He characterized these calls as being "driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest."

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The events require an evaluation by Spain and Morocco.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska emphasized a firm stance against illegal border crossings. He stated, "We are relentless against those who break the law." Marlaska also defended the cooperation with Morocco, noting that the situation was "reverted in 24 hours" due to this partnership. He asserted that "Morocco is not a threat to Ceuta, or to the rest of Spain. It is a reliable partner."

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Morocco is not a threat to Ceuta, or to the rest of Spain. It is a reliable partner.

In response to the crisis, the leaders of 22 EU countries have called for a coordinated approach. They urged the EU's current Irish presidency to convene an urgent videoconference of the bloc's interior ministers. The letter highlighted concerns about uncontrolled mass crossings and the "instrumentalization of migration," warning that such perceptions could encourage further attempts and undermine confidence in the EU's common migration policy.

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We cannot allow uncontrolled mass crossings, the instrumentalization of migration or other hybrid threats to create the perception that illegal entry into the European Union is possible. That a migrant's illegal entry can turn into legal stay.