Thousands of migrants ” totally collapsed” border fences and flooded into the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco Thursday — spurring local officials to urge Spain’s government to declare a national emergency.
Spain announced it would deploy military units to reinforce police in Ceuta after hordes of people, mainly Moroccans, busted into the North African enclave.
“The situation is absolute chaos,” said Rachid Sbihi, head of the association that represents Spain’s Civil Guard officers in Ceuta, who police the border.
“It’s not possible to give precise numbers, but there are thousands of migrants crossing,” Sbihi said, adding that the border between the two countries had “totally collapsed.”
Chaotic footage captured hundreds of migrants swimming over from the Moroccan side of the Tarajal border using inflatable inner tubes and flotation devices, as others smashed through a gate in a fence and ran into the city.
Young men, women, and children shouted “Viva España!” — or “Long live Spain” — after overrunning the border.
At least three people died attempting to swim to Ceuta, according to Sbihi and activists.
The human tide, stretching roughly three miles long, overwhelmed the Moroccan police, according to local outlet EFE Noticias.
Moroccan authorities began using riot gear, tear gas and water cannons as they tried to disperse the crowds, the outlet reported.
Eventually, hundreds began retreating back into the northern Moroccan town center of Castillejos to spend Thursday night there — before attempting to breach the border again.
Meanwhile, residents of Ceuta were sheltered in their homes as a massive influx of migrants — many of whom were only wearing swimsuits — shuttered shops, bars and restaurants, the outlet said.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said the Moroccan government was “closely cooperating” to handle the breach, and that Moroccan police are thwarting “numerous people” trying to break through the border.
Three platoons of 20 soldiers each, a diving unit and a military vessel would be deployed by Friday to curb the surge of migrant crowds, the agency explained.
Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the Spanish interior minister, will also travel to Ceuta on Friday to assess the situation.
Both countries agreed to work together “for the return, as soon as possible, of all the people who entered Ceuta illegally.”
Achraf Maimouni, a member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights in northern Morocco, described the situation as ‘’exceptional.’’
“The Tarajal border was opened under unusual circumstances this morning, and people crossed,’’ he said
Meanwhile, the White House blamed the incident on Europe’s implementation of “far-left, globalist policies.”
“President Trump has long warned Europe what would happen if they continue to implement far-left, globalist policies, including enabling mass migration,” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Fox News.
A similar incident unfolded in 2021, when roughly 10,000 people from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa overran Ceuta.
“Spain and other countries who have adopted this destructive philosophy should immediately reverse course or risk their own demise,” Kelly said.
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