How Spain's migrant crisis created a political storm - whipped up by social media
A surge of migrants entering the Spanish exclave of Ceuta has sparked a political crisis within the European Union. Tensions have risen as Italy suspended the Schengen agreement with Spain, citing security concerns amid the influx.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing fragility of European migration policy and the potential for social media to exacerbate political polarization.
Figure caption, Watch: Migrants started to return to Morocco after thousands entered Spain's Ceuta on 30 July
Most of the tens of thousands of migrants who swam into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta on Thursday have now returned to Morocco, escorted to the border by Spanish soldiers and police.
But the extraordinary surge of arrivals has left at least 72 people dead, their bodies pulled from the sea where they floated alongside abandoned rubber rings and flippers.
This week's events have also shaken Europe politically, once again exposing divisions over the sensitive issue of migration.
And they've left lingering questions about what sparked the sudden influx: whether social media posts promising an easy path to Europe just went viral or this was something more deliberate, even organised.
Whatever the cause, Spain's socialist prime minister is angry with the response.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in