Spain Launches Social Media Campaign Warning Against New Ceuta/Melilla Crossing Calls Tied to Morocco's Election Day

The Spanish Embassy in Rabat and Spain's consulates in Morocco launched a social media counter-disinformation campaign on Sep 21, in Spanish and French, after new calls circulated online for a mass irregular crossing into Ceuta and Melilla on Sep 23 — the day of Morocco's legislative elections. The campaign's core message: 'Entrar irregularmente en España a través de Ceuta y Melilla no da derecho a acceder a la Península, permanecer en España ni circular libremente por el resto de la Unión Europea' (irregular entry via Ceuta or Melilla grants no right to reach mainland Spain, remain, or travel freely in the EU). It also stresses that a recent Supreme Court ruling narrowing 'hot returns' does not change immigration law or ban border rejections generally. The campaign follows a similar Aug 3 Foreign Ministry document and echoes Guardia Civil reinforcements sent to Melilla this week after earlier calls for crossings on Sep 20. No new mass-crossing incident had occurred as of Sep 21; Morocco's youth unemployment (over 27%) continues to be cited by analysts as an underlying driver of renewed crossing attempts nearly two months after the July 30-31 surge.