Before around 70,000 people crossed into the Spanish territory of Ceuta, which borders Morocco, videos promising an easier route to Europe reportedly spread on TikTok, Facebook and other social media platforms.
Reports say some claimed the border was open, while others suggested migrants arriving by sea could not be immediately returned.
Others posted pictures of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, framing him as a leader who would give “dignity and recognition to those who build Spain”, highlighting a recent programme by the Spanish government to regularise thousands of migrants — without explaining that it only applied to those already living in the country.
As videos emerged showing thousands gathering at the shorelines, a second wave of misleading claims emerged, this time about what had caused the crossings and what would happen to those who reached Spain.
Here is a look at some of the biggest claims and what the evidence shows so far.
