49,000 migrants invade Spanish enclave in 24 hours

Ceuta has special status under the Schengen rules. Entry into the enclave does not confer a right to enter mainline Spain.

What the motive for this was is yet to be explained and conspiracy theories abound. It sounds like predominantly young men were used to make some political point. Probably engineered through TikTok or Instagram just as flash mobs are in the UK.

These people didn’t behave like migrants. The vast majority have returned to Morocco.

Of course, the right wing media and Reform leapt on it as it suits their constant scaremongering narrative. Someone really needs to confiscate their phones.

Tuliptree

Primrose53

The Spanish Army don’t mess around. They did a great job getting rid of the majority of migrants who flocked into the enclave.
There’s a lesson in there for Andy Burnham and co.

Franco thought the army did a great job too and they certainly didn’t mess about. We should all be careful what we wish for so far as our armed forces are concerned.

In the early stages of the Spanish Civil War, Franco drew heavily on Moroccan troops. There were 80,000 of them deployed by him during the course of the war.
They were known for their extreme violence.

MawsRosie, I did. (But was ignored)

Primrose53

The Spanish Army don’t mess around. They did a great job getting rid of the majority of migrants who flocked into the enclave.
There’s a lesson in there for Andy Burnham and co.

It's totally beyond me this sort of comment.

Maybe, just maybe one day you or your family will be in a bad situation. I hope not.

There's more to this than meets the eye. How do people feel so confident writing off tens of thousands of others?

Primrose53

The Spanish Army don’t mess around. They did a great job getting rid of the majority of migrants who flocked into the enclave.
There’s a lesson in there for Andy Burnham and co.

Franco thought the army did a great job too and they certainly didn’t mess about. We should all be careful what we wish for so far as our armed forces are concerned.

The Spanish Army don’t mess around. They did a great job getting rid of the majority of migrants who flocked into the enclave.
There’s a lesson in there for Andy Burnham and co.

Exactly.

If a chunk of Normandy were British, and people were departing from there.....

We could (in theory) take them back to Britain....

I haven’t read the whole thread but has somebody made the point that they didn’t swim to mainland Spain but a Spanish enclave (?) in N Africa adjoining Morocco?

fancythat

GrannyGravy13

fancythat

I got to thinking. How would someone, or an organisation, arrange for 40,000 or whatever the number was, mainly fit[they swam a distance], mainly young men, to all go at the same time.

Through social media I guess 🤷‍♀️

Yes. But why not more younger people? Aunts? Middle age women etc.

Because they swum:
few middle aged women or much younger people could do the distance and not drown never ind the possibly very long bit before hanging out in tents and so on.

nanna8

I don’t think your average middle aged woman would not be able to swim over. To organise boats would have been too expensive and too obvious. Open borders is fine but it is hard on those who live there, especially when it involves criminal activity and having to close the shops for fear of looting.

And hurling stones at the police….

I don’t think your average middle aged woman would not be able to swim over. To organise boats would have been too expensive and too obvious. Open borders is fine but it is hard on those who live there, especially when it involves criminal activity and having to close the shops for fear of looting.

fancythat

I got to thinking. How would someone, or an organisation, arrange for 40,000 or whatever the number was, mainly fit[they swam a distance], mainly young men, to all go at the same time.

An app on their phones. One press on the button and away you go.

GrannyGravy13

fancythat

I got to thinking. How would someone, or an organisation, arrange for 40,000 or whatever the number was, mainly fit[they swam a distance], mainly young men, to all go at the same time.

Through social media I guess 🤷‍♀️

Yes. But why not more younger people? Aunts? Middle age women etc.

butterandjam

TerriBull

Daft question I know, but I do wonder how Spain is able to hang on to Ceuta when it's sited in North Africa parallel to our situation with Gibraltar

same way we hang on to the Falklands, and Northern Ireland.

I agree Northern Ireland should be part of the island of Ireland

As far as the Falkland Islands are concerned, they're some 300 miles from Argentina, they didn't belong to them, they were uninhabited when the British laid claim to them. Argentina, was more or less created by the Spanish, who over a period of time pretty much wiped out the indigenous population they were never a civilization in the way the Mayans and Aztecs were, more tribal hunter gatherers. It's very noticeable how intrinsically European Argentina is compared to other Latin American countries, the indigenous people are hardly visible.

Apologies for the digression, but there are probably a number of islands that the colonial countries of Europe rolled up and claimed as their own those in French Polynesia, Reunion, near Africa, a Department of France. Somehow a piece of land such as Ceuta in North Africa (Spanish) and Gibraltar on the Spanish peninsular (Britain) Northern Ireland (Britain) those do seem incongruous to me and somehow unsustainable to remain that way forever more. Just my opinion, I don't expect everyone to agree.

fancythat

I got to thinking. How would someone, or an organisation, arrange for 40,000 or whatever the number was, mainly fit[they swam a distance], mainly young men, to all go at the same time.

Through social media I guess 🤷‍♀️

I got to thinking. How would someone, or an organisation, arrange for 40,000 or whatever the number was, mainly fit[they swam a distance], mainly young men, to all go at the same time.

TerriBull

Galaxy

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.

Yes I agree

Quite.

It is hard to get to Australia these days and if you are over 45 ,forget it, unless you are a millionaire.

MartavTaurus

Well, if my concern for the safety of young children at risk of their lives can't be expressed as we wish, then it's a pretty worrying state of affairs.

I dont think many people would complain if it was mainly women and children coming over however it’s not,it’s fighting Age young men..
None so blind as those who will not see…🤔

Galaxy

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.

Yes I agree

MT62

There is a difference silverlings48.
People/ families applied through the proper channels to get into Australia- not en-masse, in the thousands landing on Bondi beach.
Plus now, I think you need thousands of pounds to support yourself/families.

When ex and I were granted resident visas at the beginning of the '80s, having undergone a grueling interview at Australia House. He had a job to go to, working for an American Bank managed to get a transfer. During the interview we had to provide chapter and verse how much money we were bringing with us from the sale of house to support ourselves, did we have sponsors to stay with until we found a place to live and the interviewer emphasised in what I would describe a positively hostile tone. "It will be 7 years before you become eligible for any benefits", not that we'd have gone there expecting any. That was years ago, but I don't think either Australia or NZ, we have friends who went to NZ to live, are a soft touch as far as migration is concerned. Lets face it both places have pretty small populations compared to our over packed island. Of course their geographical proximity being quite some distance to beleaguered war torn areas remove them from many of the problems much of Europe are experiencing.

Ir's too early to say what the event indicates. To me it seemed more like an orchestrated demonstration but that was just an impression. Best to avoid hysteria.

There is a difference silverlings48.
People/ families applied through the proper channels to get into Australia- not en-masse, in the thousands landing on Bondi beach.
Plus now, I think you need thousands of pounds to support yourself/families.

Well, if my concern for the safety of young children at risk of their lives can't be expressed as we wish, then it's a pretty worrying state of affairs.

I hope not