Moroccan police arrested at least 111 people on Saturday as they attempted to enter Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, as authorities on both sides of the border stepped up security following online calls for another mass crossing.
The arrests came around two weeks after more than 72,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta on July 30, prompting Spain and Morocco to reinforce security around the enclave. At least 96 people died during that crossing.
A Moroccan Interior Ministry source said those detained on Saturday included 109 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and two Moroccan citizens. The arrests took place in and around Fnideq, the Moroccan city directly across the border from Ceuta.
Spanish news agency EFE reported that Moroccan police used tear gas to disperse groups gathered on hills about 3 kilometres from the border.
Hundreds of Moroccan police officers, including riot police and plainclothes personnel, were later seen returning from the hills outside Fnideq.
EFE and Spanish state broadcaster TVE said Morocco’s Interior Ministry ordered their journalists to leave Fnideq, without giving a reason.
Security tightened around Ceuta
Spanish authorities also maintained a heavy security presence inside Ceuta, with soldiers stationed near supermarkets and police patrolling the enclave’s main streets.
Madrid has installed a maritime barrier and deployed more than 500 additional officers from mainland Spain since the July 30 crossing, bringing the number of police in Ceuta to more than 1,600.
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said the reinforcements would remain in place for as long as necessary.
“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,” Grande-Marlaska said on Thursday.
Around 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta, according to the minister.
Grande-Marlaska said people who entered the enclave irregularly would not be permitted to travel onward to mainland Spain or obtain legal status except in limited cases. Those without the legal right to remain would be returned to Morocco.
Morocco steps up border checks
Moroccan authorities had warned earlier in the week that they were monitoring social media posts calling for a coordinated attempt to cross into Ceuta on August 15.
Rabat said it would prosecute organisers and participants involved in attempts to breach the border.
Security measures were reinforced around Fnideq, including additional police vehicles, checkpoints and personnel near routes leading towards Ceuta.
Local media reported similar measures around Melilla, Spain’s other North African enclave.
Authorities also prevented several groups from boarding trains and buses heading towards northern Morocco from cities including Casablanca, Fez and Kenitra.
The measures followed online calls encouraging people to gather near Fnideq and attempt to enter Ceuta in large numbers.
Saturday’s attempted crossing was contained without a repeat of the mass influx seen at the end of July.