EU Justice Ministers will meet today to discuss the response to the sudden arrival of thousands of migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
The meeting is being convened by Ireland – as host of the Presidency of the EU Council.
Over 60,000 people are estimated to have crossed into the Spanish territory, with 48,000 estimated to have returned to Morocco.
At least 72 people died making the crossing.
Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe, Dinushika Dissanayake says the scenes are the result of Europe’s continued attempts to close and externalize its borders rather than invest in safe and regular pathways.
The group says reports indicate that thousands of people are sleeping on the streets and says it will continue to monitor the situation for any evidence of human rights violations, such as excessive use of force.