Morocco blames social media, human traffickers for Spain migrant rush

Morocco's Interior Ministry has blamed social media misinformation and human traffickers for the mass influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. This crossing alarmed the European Union, prompting Italy to suspend Schengen Zone travel from Spain for a month. Spanish security forces are requesting more resources to secure Ceuta's border with Morocco and to bolster a new floating barrier installed off its coast.

The ministry reported that approximately 40,000 people were involved in the mass crossing, while 1,135 were prevented from entering Melilla. At least 11 individuals died during the attempt to cross the border. The ministry's death toll may have been lower, as it fact-checks reports of additional fatalities. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska also attributed the issue to people-smuggling networks exploiting vulnerable migrants by misinterpreting a Spanish Supreme Court ruling.

This ruling stated that intercepted migrants at sea cannot be summarily returned without a physical barrier. The mass crossing alarmed the EU, leading to calls for coordinated actions to protect external borders and other measures from 22 member states. Italy suspended passport-free Schengen travel arrangements with Spain for a month, which caused criticism from Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

Spanish police have installed a 500-meter floating barrier off the border with Morocco, blocking one of the main entry points, and have requested an additional 200 officers to address the situation.