Behind the Ceuta Surge: Q&A with Peter Schwartzstein and Dimitrios Kantemnidis

Aug 7, 2026 | Lauren Herzer Risi
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Last week, an estimated 60,000 Moroccans crossed the border into Ceuta, a Spanish city located in North Africa. The surge left more than 80 people dead, and early reporting suggested that the Moroccan authorities encouraged, or at least enabled, the border crossing. Subsequent reports, however,  focused on a snowballing effect of misinformation spread through social media after a Spanish ruling that prevented authorities from returning migrants who arrive in Ceuta by sea without due process.