49,000 migrants invade Spanish enclave in 24 hours

It seems that it is about the fact that these territories are the only borders with the EU in North Africa. It doesn't sound as if it will work as a point of entry.

Did they think they were just going to be fed and clothed?

And the toilet situation?!

There something going on in the air alright. People pretending that thousands upon thousands of men arriving has always happened, and that it is all hunky dory because some have returned.

^ which to me suggests they're not all doctors or scientists as some would have us believe.^

I think that myth got smashed many years ago!

greyfur

The level of knowledge about tens of thousands of people is astounding really.
People here seem to know exactly what is in their heads, their motives, their back story, everything.

Spot on. There’s a sort of schadenfreude in the air isn’t there?

Nobody can know what's in peoples' heads until they start to convey what's in their heads by expressing their opinions, prejudices etc by words- and actions.

greyfur

The level of knowledge about tens of thousands of people is astounding really.
People here seem to know exactly what is in their heads, their motives, their back story, everything.

Like other people here seem to know exactly what is in our heads too, our prejudices, our choices of expression and our meaning!

The level of knowledge about tens of thousands of people is astounding really.
People here seem to know exactly what is in their heads, their motives, their back story, everything.

nanna8

Some of them, probably most , seemed to regard it as an adventure. Well organised and appealing to young and fit men. None of them looked starved or oppressed. No doubt they will tell their grandchildren about their ‘adventure’ in the future. I wonder how many will cross into the rest of Europe ?

Seeing as nearly 60 of them drowned, it just shows how foolish and misguided they were to undertake this. And to put young children in danger too. They need their heads tested if they think of it as an adventure, which to me suggests they're not all doctors or scientists as some would have us believe.

Some of them, probably most , seemed to regard it as an adventure. Well organised and appealing to young and fit men. None of them looked starved or oppressed. No doubt they will tell their grandchildren about their ‘adventure’ in the future. I wonder how many will cross into the rest of Europe ?

More than 25,000 have returned to Morocco voluntarily so far, officials said

Yes I read that too Casdon. According to the article I read the migrants said it wasn't as they'd expected and were happy to go home.

Invasion is a horrid word, and designed to "other" people MartavTaurus.
I think you know this.
... and I don't think an Invasion of grockles is much nicer to be honest.

Wyllow3

They are led to believe "paved with gold".

Indeed and we have to get it through to migrants that the UK is not paved with gold either. We have to stop the pull factors.

They are led to believe "paved with gold".

Rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas was used so I guess that was enough to prove to them that they were not welcome.

Pictures showed thousands of them arriving in just shorts or swim shorts obviously with no spare clothes or anything. Did they think they were just going to be fed and clothed?

BBC news this evening has said many are leaving realising there is nothing for them in Ceuta and no easy route to Europe.
Many are still there but they may go when they find there is nowhere to stay and I doubt enough food for all of them.

I doubt if there has been time or manpower to process them yet, so we don’t have the detail of where they were originally from, but it says on the news that criminal networks were involved so it’s very unlikely they were all Moroccan. at the latest report this evening, 48,000 have returned to Morocco.

Do we know the proportion that were Moroccan citizens and the proportion that were not?

It may be the quickly returned 37,000 were Moroccan citizens returned either voluntarily, either with or without inducement or via bilateral agreements?

Those that remain may or may not be Moroccan citizens. If using Morocco as a staging post to get into Europe, maritime arrival laws and asylum laws apply and if resistant to return will need to be processed.

The UK being a country of sea borders has exactly the same maritime arrivals legal challenges (small boats) and hence why we negotiate arrivals/returns agreements with France since the UK left the EU.

Greyfur, If you could do something, you would! Like what? feed them, house them?
What a few dozen out of what 49000!
I would wish for a few thousand to return safely back to where they came from.
I am sure that town hasn’t got the infrastructure to support that many people without proper planning.

LemonJam

Casdon

Morocco isn’t considered a dangerous country, and despite the poverty Moroccan citizens are unlikely to be granted asylum in Europe though.

I agree, but they have a right to make an asylum application and be processed and put their case.

I don’t think many at all will, because they know it’s likely to be unsuccessful, it’s more likely to be citizens of other countries who were using Morocco as a staging post to get to Europe who will go down that route.

Yes, the headlines are already losing some of their potency as action is being taken. I hope they are being transported back by boat though, not swimming.

Casdon

Morocco isn’t considered a dangerous country, and despite the poverty Moroccan citizens are unlikely to be granted asylum in Europe though.

I agree, but they have a right to make an asylum application and be processed and put their case.

Casdon

The Spanish PM says they are all going to be sent back to Morocco.
‘Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the situation as an "attack" and said all illegal migrants would be returned to Morocco "as soon as possible". Several European leaders have expressed concern, some promising to tighten border controls.
More than 25,000 have returned to Morocco voluntarily so far, officials said.’

Sanchez can say that all will be returned and hope for it. However the Spanish government cannot just deport all that remain of 60,000 migrants that crossed by sea instantly without legal and procedural arrangements being adhered to.

There are bi lateral agreements with Morocco do allow for fast tracked and expedited returns under specific circumstances and may have been used for a proportion of the 37,000 already returned.

A Spanish Supreme Court ruled that migrants cannot be rejected or immediately pushed back without due process. Express deportations may be legally allowed for individuals breaching land borders but maritime arrivals fall under stricter procedural requirements in law. This evidently is material for countries and islands with sea borders like the UK and migrants may or may not be aware of their maritime arrival legal rights.

Spanish and international law also prohibits the immediate expulsion of unaccompanied minors or individuals belonging to vulnerable groups who have to be processed individually.

Of the 60,000 who came a significant number, reported currently as 37,000 have already been returned- so it looks like negotiation and bilateral cooperation is underway. Its reported that many went back voluntarily but not under what circumstances or whether any payments were made by the Spanish government (not that I'm aware of at least) Continued bilateral cooperation is Pedro Sachez best bet for the highest proportion of rapid returns.

However unaccompanied minors or vulnerable migrants that resist return have a legal right to be processed it appears.

Morocco isn’t considered a dangerous country, and despite the poverty Moroccan citizens are unlikely to be granted asylum in Europe though.

There is a lot of poverty in Morocco, especially obvious to those in the major towns which attract ‘wealthy’ tourists which then highlight the poverty.
As for the small towns with no tourism, there is a great deal of poverty.
Why did so many of us leave for Australia et al ? For a better life.

MT62

MT62

You go first greyfur

It would be a drop in the Ocean what you could do for them.

I don't know what you mean,sorry.

I don't want to do anything "for them"