Viral video shows hundreds of Africans celebrating in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, having successfully crossed from Morocco into the Spanish territory early this morning.
Less than a week after the last incursion into Spain’s North African enclave, 300 migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa stormed the Moroccan – Spanish frontier just before dawn today.
The small city of Ceuta is one of two enclaves retained by Spain as part of its territory following the independence of Spanish Morocco in 1956. Along with Melilla, further east, it has become a focal point for those attempting to cross into Europe.
Whilst most migrants attempt to climb over the border fence, Spanish daily El PaÃs described this morning’s tactic as ”an avalanche”, overwhelming border guards at the Tarajal crossing. The paper reports that 186 of those who rushed the border crossing successfully entered Spanish territory.
A 20-foot tall border fence separates the territory from Morocco but migrants are frequently successful in overcoming the barrier when a small section is attacked by large numbers.
After breaking through the Tarajal checkpoint around 5am, footage released this morning shows a large crowd of African migrants exuberantly celebrating their arrival into European territory, many in a frenzied state and reacting wildly for TV cameras as they run along the interior fence-line into the enclave.
Once in Ceuta, migrants are accommodated and helped file asylum applications. Many will be sent to reception facilities on the Spanish mainland. Few will ever face deportation, regardless of the outcome of their asylum applications.
Although several high-profile breaches have occurred this year, illegal entries into Europe via Ceuta are dwarfed in comparison with the numbers making the crossing from Libya to Italy.
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Video: Faro TV, RT.
