Moroccan police arrest over 100 migrants trying to reach Spanish enclave

Moroccan police have arrested more than a hundred people trying to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

Footage posted online on Saturday showed large crowds of people, most reportedly from sub-Saharan Africa, heading towards Ceuta.

The attempted crossing comes just weeks after more than 70,000 people fled to the autonomous city on the north coast of Africa — with many dying in the process. It also follows what has been described as a new disinformation campaign on social media encouraging people to flock to the city.

Moroccan authorities said earlier this week that they were working to foil any such attempts.

Hundreds of police were reportedly deployed to confront the crowds, leading to at least 111 arrests, according to Reuters, which cited a source in Morocco’s Ministry of Interior. Police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Spanish newspaper ABC reported that hundreds of people were travelling to the enclave, which Morocco does not recognise as Spanish territory.

The crowds advanced through the mountains on their way to Ceuta, passing through Fnideq, a coastal town in northern Morocco. They are believed to have chosen the mountainous route to avoid security checkpoints.

Local news outlet Le360 reported on Saturday afternoon that as many as 294 people had been arrested, including 46 Moroccans. The rest were reportedly from sub-Saharan Africa.

Earlier, Jaime de los Santos, Spanish lawmaker and deputy secretary of education for the conservative People’s Party (PP), accused Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of failing to address the crisis, which began on July 30.

Sanchez is currently on holiday at the Royal Residence of La Mareta in Lanzarote, a common getaway destination for Spanish prime ministers.

“It’s Saturday, August 15th, and the week of the eclipse has already passed. Sixteen days have gone by since Spain was invaded by more than 80,000 Moroccan citizens, and Pedro Sanchez is still hiding in La Mareta without giving any explanation, without putting a stop to this crisis, and using his ministers to cover up his shameful actions,” De los Santos said in a statement.

Approximately 72,000 people entered Ceuta in late July, and at least 96 people died trying to reach the enclave.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said on Thursday that about 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta.