Spain has beefed up police and military presence in its North African enclave of Ceuta amid social media messages encouraging migrants to attempt another mass border breach on Saturday, two weeks after tens of thousands rushed into the city.Soldiers in combat fatigues stood watch outside supermarkets and official buildings on Friday evening, while police cars heavily patrolled the enclave's main avenues. Still, outdoor cafes were packed with diners and the downtown area was calm compared to the tense scenes from the days following the deadly rush on July 30.
On the other side of the border, dozens of black-clad Moroccan security personnel surveilled the beach in Fnideq from which many migrants who swam around Ceuta's Tarajal breakwater departed. At least 96 people died in the attempt and over 72,000 managed to enter Ceuta, according to Spanish government estimates.
While the vast majority of them voluntarily returned to Morocco shortly thereafter, the crisis sparked a rift within the European Union and fuelled anti-immigration rhetoric among far-right parties worldwide.
Spain has since installed a maritime barrier and sent over 500 additional police officers from the mainland. The Interior Ministry said they would remain as long as the situation required.
