Authorities in the Spanish exclave have denounced a lack of protocols to prevent further chaos in the event of a fresh migrant influx
Europe’s external border last month saw its largest breach in years, as some 80,000 migrants surged into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta – which is surrounded by Morocco – putting immense strain on local authorities and sparking a heated debate about border control in the bloc.
The influx has subsided but the threat remains acute, and has been exacerbated by the lack of an official crisis response, leaving Spanish security personnel uncertain about the procedures they should follow in the event of a new influx of migrants.
After weeks of appeals by forces on the front line, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has now convened the National Security Council and appointed a new body to handle the crisis. But police unions stress the need for clear and pre-established protocols, so that officers can be in no doubt about the “limits of their authority, what resources they can use, or what support they will receive for decisions they are forced to take in a matter of seconds.”
The need for guidelines is especially pressing as around 10,000 migrants remain stranded in Ceuta – itself a city of just 84,000 residents.
