Thousands of migrants poured into the Moroccan border town of Fnideq overnight in an attempt to cross into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, though a heavily reinforced security presence blocked most of them from succeeding.
Ceuta, along with the nearby Spanish city of Melilla, represents the European Union’s only land border with Africa, and both enclaves periodically see waves of attempted crossings by migrants hoping to reach Europe.
Moroccan security forces deployed water cannon trucks and reinforced the crossing points, repeatedly pushing back migrants who attempted to approach. Nearby, witnesses saw the burned remains of a bus and seven vehicles, the aftermath of clashes that broke out as authorities worked to disperse the crowds.
One migrant described being caught in a stampede during an attempted crossing, saying he genuinely feared for his life as he recounted chaotic scenes of people pushing and trampling one another along a narrow stretch of coastal path.
Read more about this topic: Spain: What to know about Ceuta as illegal crossings from Morocco surge (with videos)
Roads leading into Fnideq became clogged with traffic as more people, including minors, continued arriving throughout the day. Some walked along the highway into the city well into the night, while others took mountain paths in an effort to avoid checkpoints. Security forces repeatedly turned back groups attempting coordinated rushes on the border overnight, as migrants regrouped along roads, hillsides and open areas throughout the city.
Spain’s Socialist government has taken a notably pro-migrant stance compared to much of Europe, and recently launched a program aimed at granting legal status to roughly 500,000 undocumented migrants, a move that has already drawn twice that number in applications.
