Around 100 people lost their lives as 80,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta from Morocco about 2 weeks ago, prompting the European Commission to deploy migration experts focused on "reinforcing our borders and ensuring returns." The mission arrived after the mass crossing triggered an unprecedented humanitarian and political crisis in the Spanish enclave.
A Commission spokesperson stated the mission aimed to "understand the first-hand needs on the ground" and determine how the EU could bolster support for Spanish authorities. Another spokesperson clarified the objective: "For us it's not about a specific date. It's about reinforcing our borders and ensuring returns every day of the year." This statement lays bare the EU's commitment to deterrence through death.
The Spanish government reported that around 70,000 individuals have since been returned to Morocco. This mass return operation followed the entry of an estimated 80,000 migrants who swam from Morocco into Ceuta, home to just 83,000 people, during the last two days of July.
The incident exposed deep rifts among European nations, revealing the internal contradictions of the border regime. Governments, including Giorgia Meloni's in Italy, seized the opportunity to denounce Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's migration policies. Critics claimed these policies undermined EU efforts to project solidarity and unity, despite the EU's own focus on deterrence.
The political fallout continues with a tit-for-tat escalation between Rome and Madrid. Both sides have imposed exceptional border controls on each other. The Italian government announced it would temporarily suspend the border-free Schengen arrangement with Spain until at least tomorrow, citing expectations of a "new wave of migration" in Ceuta.
The Border Regime's Reach
The Moroccan Interior Ministry confirmed on Wednesday its efforts to prevent another potential wave of crossings. It has increased security along its borders with both Ceuta and Melilla, the second Spanish territory on Morocco's northern coast, demonstrating the outsourcing of Europe's border enforcement to unstable third countries.
Spain's Civil Guard has already installed a maritime barrier at Melilla's southern breakwater. This barrier is similar to the one used along the sea border with Morocco off the coast of Ceuta, physically manifesting Fortress Europe's commitment to exclusion and the criminalisation of movement.
Digital Surveillance and Control
These precautionary measures respond to reports of a coordinated online campaign. This campaign is disseminating a call for another mass crossing tomorrow evening. Golden Owl, a digital intelligence company linked to the University of Alicante, identified an organised online operation behind these calls after scouring social media platforms. Spain's Civil Guard also produced a six-page report examining the possibility.
Increased vigilance on social platforms is believed to have suppressed the call. Golden Owl stated that the "15 August date has effectively disappeared from Facebook, driven by Meta enforcement." Both TikTok and Meta activated a crisis protocol to establish a cooperation mechanism with fact-checkers. This followed calls by the EU's tech chief, Henna Virkkunen, for enhanced monitoring and collaboration.
The European Commission confirmed a meeting with social media platform representatives on Thursday afternoon. It engages with the platforms daily to streamline this work. A spokesperson explained that "Bringing in the fact-checkers will, in our view, make this work even more targeted and even more streamlined and coordinated in the context of this concrete crisis." The cooperation is "proving highly effective," with platforms taking action.
The Commission also held a separate meeting earlier on Thursday. This allowed an "exchange of information and discussion on the online dimension of the current crisis in Ceuta," with Spanish representatives participating. This coordinated effort highlights the comprehensive nature of Europe's border control apparatus, extending into the digital realm to criminalise movement and suppress migrant solidarity.