Spanish intelligence has detected online calls for a fresh attempt by thousands of migrants to reach Ceuta
This time last week, thousands of young Moroccan men were swimming around the border to reach the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, on the North African coast.
The influx overwhelmed Spanish authorities and sparked a political backlash that saw a majority of EU leaders turn on Pedro Sánchez, who they accused of mishandling the crisis – in which some 72,000 people entered the small city, with at least 88 dying in the process.
And though almost all illegal entrants had returned to Morocco by the end of the weekend, details of how the event was orchestrated – and the part played by social media – are still unclear. Understanding the online dimension will be crucial in preventing repeat scenarios.
To highlight the situation, Spanish intelligence has now detected online calls for a fresh attempt by thousands of migrants to reach the territory. Alarmingly, the volume of messages circulating on Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok about the next attempt – on 15 August – is greater than in the run-up to last week’s incursion, reports local media SER.
