Spain's government was thrown into deeper turmoil on Wednesday after a leaked police report appeared to suggest that Moroccan forces played a role in the unprecedented mass crossing into Ceuta, putting Madrid under growing political pressure. Multiple media outlets cited a law enforcement document alleging that Moroccan authorities helped push migrants toward the Spanish enclave by sea, acted “passively” during the buildup and concluded that the arrival of around 80,000 migrants was not accidental.
The allegations directly challenge the Spanish government's account of the crisis and have put Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska under renewed scrutiny over his handling of what has been described as Spain's most serious national security breach in modern history. Grande-Marlaska ordered police to clarify the claims.
A senior police official subsequently denied that there was any report directly blaming Morocco, but the denial did little to ease the political storm. Thousands of migrants remain in Ceuta, while protests in support of the city were held in several parts of Spain on Wednesday.
The competing accounts have also raised questions about control within Spain's Interior Ministry and whether parts of the police are leaking information either to embarrass the government or to bring previously undisclosed details to light. Spanish governments and opposition parties have frequently accused one another of “lawfare,” referring to alleged political use of courts or law enforcement bodies.
