"Open Border", "Haraga Ceuta": that's how social media cracked Ceuta's massive entrance

The migration crisis in Ceuta in recent days would not have taken on such dimensions without TikTok and Instagram, as evidenced by the testimonies of young Moroccans and the thousands of messages broadcast on social media on crucial days.

Of course, social media does not spontaneously explain the massive influx of migrants into Ceuta. There are structural factors that have long been known, related to living conditions inMorocco, where thousands of young people see no future in their country and dream of Europe.

At the same time, the geopolitical context has probably been the main factor triggering the crisis, and thirdly, the Supreme Court 's ruling on "immediate refunds" may also have influenced events. In any case, it is undeniable that social networks have played a key role, increasing the call effect and attracting some 100,000 Moroccans to the vicinity of the border (although not all of them crossed it).

Haraga, call to burn papers.

In a few hours, TikTok and Instagram were filled with videos that said "Spain has opened the border" or "It's time to enter Ceuta." One of the most repeated slogans was "Haraga Ceuta." "Haraga," or "Hraga," is a widely used term in North Africa (meaning "burn,") that is used to refer to those who migrate unlawfully because they burn documents to Europe.

Some of these publications explained how to reach the Tarajal slumber; others showed the easiest points of access to the water; and many encouraged him directly to attempt it.

Among the most widely circulated images was the video of a TikTok creator who recorded himself swimming on his back with a selfie stick in his hand on the road to Ceuta, accumulating millions of views and becoming one of the main symbols of the crisis.

A Known Phenomenon

A phenomenon, however, which is not new, but which has never taken such precautions, for years there have been profiles with hundreds of thousands of followers explaining how to get to Spain, what route to use, or how to cross the border.

One of the most popular creative content associated with migration has been posting videos for years offering practical advice to those who want to emigrate, which shows that these digital communities existed long before the Ceuta crisis, the difference being that , in an exceptional context, this information spread at unprecedented speeds and reached tens of thousands of people almost simultaneously.

Moreover, all this took place in a special situation where the majority of those who tried to cross the border were young Moroccans with no prospects for the future, severely affected by unemployment and who see emigration as their only chance of success.

It remains to be seen who pushed many of these messages, who fuelled the most viral campaigns or what role the Moroccan police played in the border crossings, and whether there was a strategy coordinated by Morocco and its geopolitical allies behind profiles and bots calling across the border.