Castillejosneighboring Moroccan city Ceutawill be the scene of a major police operation this Sunday aimed at preventing the mass swimming of young Maghrebis towards the autonomous city. This is what the Ministry of the Interior has requested Morocco. The date “09/15/2024” This has become the key under which social networks share the call for the assault on Ceuta. Morocco has already stopped 60 people for inciting this, while the Interior has expressly asked Morocco to protect the entire coastline of Castillejos to prevent it. In recent hours, instructions have also been circulated to make the same crossing towards Melilla. Even today, it is not known whether the alert is “serious.”
The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaskais in the hands of Morocco. The massive leap towards Ceuta “cannot be postponed with the human and technical resources” available Civil Guard and National Police in the city, explain the sources of state security involved in the response to this new challenge of illegal immigration. There are none, they explain, because if hundreds of people gather in the water, it will be impossible to guarantee the physical integrity of all of them.
As OKDIARIO learned, the Interior has asked Morocco “all possible collaborations” so that a coastline of about a kilometer that connects the outskirts of Castillejos to the border of Ceuta is protected by a large police deployment. As they explain, Rabat has confirmed that there will be a significant reinforcement of troops and vehicles in the coastline as well as the maritime units present in the area.
The challenge is “similar to the one that was proposed and executed in 2021”, explain these sources, who see a novelty in the viral force of the messages that have been circulating for days on social networks in Morocco.
In recent hours, videos have also been circulating with instructions and calls for the swimming jump to also be carried out towards Melillacrossing an area close to Beni Ensar and enter the port of the autonomous city.
Since this call was made known, Morocco has already arrested 60 people for incitement and dissemination of instructions to commit the assault. In the videos, you can see specific advice on the type of fins and equipment needed for the crossing and what to do once you reach land. The 15th was chosen because the forecast meteorological suggests that there could be an episode of fog making detection difficult both at the exit from Morocco and at the entrance to Ceuta.
Vivas Reviews
The president of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas (PP), sent a “message of tranquility” this Friday after videos were posted on social media encouraging people to swim across the Tarajal dam this Sunday. Vivas expressed his “full confidence” in the state’s security forces and bodies and assured that “this alarm will not come to fruition.”
Vivas mentioned the arrest of 60 people in Tangier and Tetouan, suspected of having created and disseminated “fake news” on social networks to promote “massive illegal immigration operations”. These arrests come after the dissemination on TikTok of videos in which young Moroccans encourage people to swim across the Tarajal dike in the coming days.
“My first message is that of peace of mind for the citizens of Ceuta. Although it is not pleasant that these types of alarms arise, they are part of our daily reality,” said the President of Ceuta, who highlighted the maturity and solidarity of local society. “I have complete confidence in our state security bodies and forces and I am convinced that this alarm will not come to fruition,” he added.
Vivas stressed that this situation reflects the ongoing difficulties faced by the southern border of Spain and Europe in Africa, which require priority attention due to constant migratory pressure. In addition, he highlighted the impact of the unaccompanied minors crisis and the pain that accompanies the loss of lives of those trying to reach Ceuta in search of a better future.
“Permanent alert”
Regarding security measures, Vivas said that the state security bodies and forces maintain “permanent alert” at the border and are doing “excellent work” in extremely complicated conditions.
The President of Ceuta concluded by stressing that the migratory pressure suffered by Ceuta is, more than a ripple effect, the consequence of the enormous economic and quality of life inequalities on both sides of the border, which push many desperate people to risk their lives in search of better opportunities.
