Gibraltar border protests as the Rock prepares for a hard Brexit

Gibraltar has begun stockpiling medical supplies in underground tunnels beneath the Rock as a precaution incase of the potential collapse of ongoing UK-Spanish negotiations regarding border arrangements post-Brexit.

NEWS FROM THE OVERSEAS TERRITORIESGIBRALTAR

Daniel Toft

10/25/20242 min read

Workers in the Spanish town of La Linea, which borders Gibraltar, held protests to urge all sides to reach an agreement rather than imperil their livelihoods, as many in the community commute across the border daily for work. The town’s mayor has handed leaflets to commuters which state “We don’t want another 1969”, in reference to when the Spanish shut the Gibraltar-Spain border thereby annihilating the economy of La Linea.

Gibraltar has begun stockpiling medical supplies in underground tunnels beneath the Rock as a precaution incase of the potential collapse of ongoing UK-Spanish negotiations regarding border arrangements post-Brexit. Since the UK’s departure from the European Union, the UK and Spain both agreed to relax border checks to allow space for a permanent agreement regarding future operation of the border. However, three years of talks have failed to deliver any kind of permanent resolution, with talks still ongoing.

Should negotiations fail to deliver a permanent agreement, Spain has warned it could enforce a hard border, a move that has raised concerns in Gibraltar about possible disruptions to critical imports. To secure these supplies, Gibraltar is making use of its extensive underground tunnel system beneath the Rock, originally created by the UK military.

However, tensions escalated recently, particularly after the UK Government’s decision to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, which has emboldened Spain to push harder for stricter EU border controls around Gibraltar after observing, and attempting to benefit from, the UK’s weakness towards their Overseas Territories. Spain has a long history of using the Gibraltar border as a political tool, frequently restricting the movement of goods and people to pressure Gibraltarians and the UK, as well as allowing planes and boats to stray into British airspace and waters.

Approximately 15,000 people cross the border between the Rock and Spain daily, the vast majority of which are Spanish workers. The UK, Gibraltar and Spain all agree on the need for a post-Brexit deal that ensures continued movement across the border. One proposal would see Gibraltar join the EU’s Schengen Zone, effectively shifting the border to Gibraltar’s airport. However, significant disagreements remain, including the Gibraltar Government’s opposition to the presence of Spanish border guards on Gibraltarian soil.

Spain has been increasing pressure on the UK to accept an offer to avoid the consequences of a hard border, especially once a new EU electronic border control system becomes operational. Although this system's introduction has been delayed indefinitely, Spain continues to warn that the current temporary waivers won’t last forever and a permanent agreement is required. Earlier this month, tensions spiked when Spanish authorities briefly reintroduced full checks at the border, causing significant delays.

The UK Government has reiterated their position that an agreement will only be signed with Spain on terms that the Gibraltar Government are content with.

Thousands joined the demos, with the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) reporting from the demonstration:

Later that evening, the protests reached the Gibraltar-Spain border (video credit: Gibraltar Chronicle):

Delays at the Gibraltar-Spanish border