Posted on 10/04/2005 4:05:27 AM PDT by Ninian Dryhope
Desperate to escape poverty, Africans fight off police to enter Spanish enclave
MELILLA, SPAIN - Hundreds of Africans tore down sections of a high-security fence on the border between Morocco and a Spanish enclave, cutting themselves on razor wire and fighting with police as they poured across the frontier Monday in the biggest wave of immigrants seeking a foothold in Europe.
The pre-dawn surge left dozens of men bloodied and limping, and embarrassed a government relying on new, higher barriers to keep out undocumented immigrants seeking to escape the grinding poverty of sub-Saharan Africa.
Officials said an estimated 650 people tried to cross, and about 350 succeeded, in the frenzied rush into Melilla, a small, crowded, centuries-old Spanish enclave on Morocco's northern coast. Police on both sides of the border were overwhelmed.
"There were just too many of us," said Fofama Issa, a 28-year-old man from Mali, sitting dazed in an overflowing holding facility after the melee.
About 135 immigrants were injured, as were seven police officers. Some of the Africans threw rocks at police or hit officers with them, the Interior Ministry office in Melilla said.
The Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta are relatively new destinations for Africans seeking to reach the bounty of Europe.
The traditional conduit for sub-Saharans and North Africans is a treacherous crossing to Spain from the Moroccan coast in an overcrowded boat. Thousands attempt the voyage each year.
Most are caught but hundreds die.
Monday's surge came even though the Spanish security contingent monitoring the border was enhanced by army troops after rushes last week, including one that left five Africans dead in Ceuta.
Spain was in the process of doubling the height of the innermost of two 10-foot fences along the Melilla border. Last week, two groups estimated at 500 men each tried to cross the fences at their northern and southern tips, areas where that construction has yet to begin. About 300 got in.
But on Monday, immigrants challenged — and breached — a spot where the fence height had already been raised.
"The government can handle this problem," Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso insisted, adding that cooperation from Morocco is essential.
After scaling a first fence topped with razor wire, the immigrants clambered up the newly elevated second fence. The two are separated by a short strip of land.Police said the sheer weight of so many men hanging on at once brought down two 20-yard strips of the upper half of the fence, leaving gaping holes.
Some men said they chose a higher area of fence to scale, even though it was riskier, because they saw no Moroccan police nearby.
Ibrahim Santino, 31, from Ghana, said that in a spot where he originally meant to go up there were 10 men scrambling on the fence ahead of him.
"I had to go find another place," he said, adding that he was not scared. "I used my force, but with the grace of God."
We could only hope for the day when we only have "hundreds" of illegals coming across our border!
Melilla & Ceuta are Spanish claims within Morocco.
Just wait until this story is used to continue Bush's open border.
In some places we don't even have a fence to tear through.
They just want to do the work that the FRENCH won't do..........which is most anything............
Spanish Colonialism is alive and well
Western civilization is dying. We could save it if it weren't for the communists within our midst tying our hands and undermining us at every turn.
Once we start shooting those who violate borders the problem will be much easier to control.
Sounds like the running of the boools...
In the case of illegal immigration it is mainly the open borders capitalists that are to blame. They gotta have their cheap labor.
You are so right.
"Once we start shooting those who violate borders the problem will be much easier to control."
Good points!
We put out food and water for illegals out in the desert and once the illegals in the story make it over or through the fence, they are home free, with food and shelter provided to them, instead of the deserved swift kick back over the fence.
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