A photo showing African asylum seekers stuck on a razor wire fence, behind white-clad golfers teeing off on an immaculately manicured golf course, has gone viral.
A golfer hits a tee shot as African migrants sit on top of a border fence between Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Melilla, on October 22, 2014José Palazon/Reuters
The scene was captured by José Palazón, from the migrants' rights group Pro.De.In Melilla, who told El País: "It seemed like a good moment to take a photo that was a bit more symbolic. The photo reflects the situation really well – the differences that exist here and all the ugliness that is happening here."
Thousands of African immigrants living illegally in Morocco try to enter Spain's enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta each year, hoping to reach Europe.
Spain's Interior Ministry said 2,000 migrants have made it across Melilla's border fences in roughly 60 attempts this year. Those that make it head for the city's temporary migrant accommodation centre. They are eventually repatriated or let go.
A member of the Spanish Civil Guard looks at would-be immigrants gesturing on the border fence separating Morocco from the Spanish enclave of Melilla on October 22, 2014AFPA man grimaces while scaling the border fence during an attempt to cross into Spanish territory on October 22, 2014ReutersA member of the Spanish Civil Guard pulls a would-be immigrant off the border fence on October 15, 2014. Around 300 migrants attempted to cross the border into Spain and about three managed to get across and were being held at CETI, the short-stay immigrant centre, according to local authoritiesReutersAn African man sits on top of the border fence while attempting to cross into Spanish territory, on June 14, 2014. Around 400 migrants stormed the border in the early hours. Five of them managed to cross the fence, but were caught and returned to Morocco, according to local authoritiesReutersA jogger on the Spanish side looks at would-be immigrants from Africa sitting on the fence after scrambling over two other border barriers on August 13, 2014. Some 600 people tried to scale the triple-layer 6m-high (20ft) razor-wire barrier that separates Morocco from MelillaAFPAfrican migrants are chased by Spanish Civil Guard officers on the top of the fence, on April 24, 2014. Around 100 people stormed the border and at least 12 of them reached EuropeReutersA would-be migrant is lowered down from the border fence by a Spanish Civil Guard during an attempt to cross into Spanish territory, on April 3, 2014ReutersAfrican migrants, their clothes torn by razor wire, sit on top of a searchlight on the border fence between Morocco and Spain's north African enclave of Melilla on April 3, 2014ReutersMigrants, spattered with blood from tackling razor wire, sit on top of the border fence on April 3, 2014Reuters
Melilla is a tiny Spanish enclave on the northern coast of Morocco. The Moroccan authorities see it as an occupied territory and have called for its return to Morocco, likening it to Gibraltar.
Three 6m-high razor wire fences run for 11km along the disputed border, with regular watchposts and a road running between them.
Spain has two north African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, bordering MoroccoGoogleThree razor wire fences run for 11km along the disputed border, with regular watchposts and a road running between themPablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty ImagesA general view of the fence ending in the sea at the border between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of MelillaGetty
