How ‘woke’ court ruling sparked explosion of thousands of migrants storming EU border at ‘weak spot’ Spanish enclave

THOUSANDS of migrants storming a Spanish enclave’s borders will be emboldened by a “woke” court ruling protecting them. Migrants intercepted while swimming to Ceuta or Melilla are not subject to immediate expulsion per a Supreme Court ruling three weeks ago. Thousands of migrants have stormed a Spanish enclave in North Africa Credit: AP Shocking footage showed hundreds arriving by sea and running down the beach Credit: X/visegrad24 It found that entering by sea does not involve crossing a physical land border, making “hot returns” inapplicable to existing immigration laws. The decision has been exploited by people-smuggling gangs and brought with it a wave of undocumented migration. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Police in Ceuta have warned that they risk operational collapse as they lack manpower to deal with such a massive influx. A Guardia Civil spokesperson said: “It has been a slow trickle since the Supreme Court’s ruling, but today has been an explosion.” Migrants were seen clambering over border fences with guards overwhelmed Credit: EPA A Spanish court ruled that migrants who arrive by sea are not subject to immediate expulsion Credit: AP It has vowed to deport migrants who were seen sprinting along beaches and onto the street past the EU’s only land border with Africa.today Spain‘s socialist government stands out for its pro-migration stance. It has recently received a huge influx of applications after launching a scheme to provide legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants. Authorities in Ceuta have also asked the government in Madrid to declare a national emergency and to send the army in. Most read in The Sun Several migrants were seen sprinting along the beach Credit: AP The President of Ceuta, Juan Jesus Vivas, was quick to declare a total humanitarian and social emergency in response. He said: “In the past few days more than 1,500 migrants, both adults and minors, have come to Ceuta by sea. “The reception centres are saturated – there is no more room for anyone in them and according to yesterday’s figures the number of people entering is more than 200 a day.” Videos from Tarajal beach show crowds of people, mainly Moroccans, rushing across the sand attempting to make it to the road. The majority are young men but several whole families, including young children, can also be seen. They had managed to jump over the border fence separating the city from Morocco, according to Spanish state news agency EFE. Some could be heard chanting “Viva Espana!” – Long Live Spain – as they walked past. Ceuta sits between Morocco and Spain at the northwestern tip of Africa. Along with Spanish autonomous city Melilla, it is the European Union‘s only land border with Africa. Spain’s interior ministry said several ministries are “acting in coordination to respond with the utmost speed and efficiency to the situation in Ceuta”. The Moroccan government also promised it would work “faithfully and permanently with Spain” in regards to the ongoing crisis. They said: “Moroccan security forces are preventing the arrival of numerous people who are trying to reach Ceuta from Morocco.” Morocco and Spain have reportedly agreed to return migrants who entered Ceuta during the latest surge, according to Hespress. Vivas said 60 bodies had been recovered at sea in recent months with several washing up to shore in Ceuta. He has warned the humanitarian crisis will only worsen while migrant centers are so full as hundreds of people will be forced to sleep on the streets. He added that housing units for minors were now operating at 2,400 per cent capacity. Back in 2021, 8,000 migrants swam from Morocco into Ceuta over a few days. The arrivals also included the largest ever number of migrants in a single day, thought to be 6,000. Ceuta residents had locked themselves indoors as the army rounded up migrants fleeing Morocco, La Vanguardia reported. Hundreds of migrants risk injuries or even death every year while trying to jump over fences, hide inside vehicles or by swimming around breakwaters that extend into the Mediterranean Sea. Comment now