On the occasion of the violent death of at least 37 people at the Spanish-Moroccan border, Seebrücke Passau is calling for a memorial vigil at Ludwigsplatz on Friday at 21:30. The aim is to mourn the 37 people killed and to send a signal against the senseless violence at the EU's external border.
Last Friday, at least 37 people died trying to cross the border between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Melilla. Many more were injured. Moroccan security authorities used brutal force to stop people from entering EU territory and exercising their right to apply for asylum. People lying on the ground were beaten with batons and sometimes left for hours without supplies.
The reaction of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who explicitly praised the actions of the security forces, is particularly cynical. And unfortunately, this sums up the attitude of many European governments: people are to be kept out of Europe at all costs and Europe to be relieved of all responsibility. Because outside our borders, the highly praised European values are not worth much.
Today we want to mourn those who were killed and show that not all people in Europe share this view. Tea lights in jars can be brought and placed as a sign of condolence.
At the same time, we demand legal and safe escape routes to the EU so that all people can make use of their right to apply for asylum. The senseless dying at Europe's borders must end!