Mass migrant crossings overwhelm Spanish enclave of Ceuta

Hundreds of migrants pushed into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday, the sharpest day of a surge that has brought more than 2,000 people across the border in barely a week and strained the tiny territory’s reception system past its limit.

Many swam around the Tarajal breakwater or floated across on inflatables, while others ran through the border gates or climbed the fence. Some shouted “Viva España!” as they came ashore.

Regional president Juan Jesús Vivas declared an “absolute humanitarian and social emergency” and pressed Madrid to declare a national emergency and send in the army to retake the border. Spain’s Interior Ministry turned down the emergency declaration, saying the measure does not apply to migration, but promised additional resources for the enclave.

A Guardia Civil spokesperson told Reuters the crossings had been a slow trickle for weeks before Thursday’s “explosion.” The surge follows a Spanish Supreme Court ruling earlier this month barring the immediate return to Morocco of migrants intercepted at sea trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla — a decision officers linked directly to the jump in attempts.

Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two enclaves on the North African coast, form the European Union’s only land border with Africa and see periodic surges in crossings. Thursday’s scenes echoed the May 2021 crisis, when more than 8,000 people entered Ceuta over two days after Morocco eased its controls amid a diplomatic dispute with Madrid.