On the 6th of February 2026, decentralized CommemorActions took place in over 60 cities across the Mediterranean sea. The gatherings collectively remembered the massacre which took place 12 years ago in Tarajal near Ceuta. Alongside relatives of the dead and missing at the borders, families and friends of victims of state and police violence within Europe joined this growing network of solidarity. The planned implementation of the racist CEAS pact and the brutalized externalization policies threaten to bring even more suffering and death in the near future. This is why we must unite transnationally in the struggle for justice, equal rights, and freedom of movement, placing the testimonies and demands of relatives at the heart of our collective action! Since the beginning of 2026: • 1,671 people arrived in Italy and Malta by sea, many of whom arrived autonomously (UNHCR figures up to February 8). • 244 people were rescued by the civil fleet from 8 boats in distress (CMRCC figure up to February 8). • 781 people were pushed back to Libya after they were intercepted by the EU-supported so-called Libyan Coast Guard (IOM figure up to February 7). • 56 people have been reported dead or missing on the Central Mediterranean Route (IOM figure up to February 7).
While Libyan militias escalate their crimes at sea, shooting at rescue ships and people on the move, the network Refugees in Libya have organised an impressive mobilisation against the EU complicity and its "deal of death." As Italian authorities continue to obstruct sea rescue efforts, several NGOs have launched the Justice Fleet campaign, a collective response of solidarity and resistance. At the same time, as EU governments push to expand systems of detention and deterrence through the new Migration and Asylum Pact, self organised and anti-racist networks have joined forces in a powerful chain of actions. Together, they marked the 10th anniversary of the Summer of Migration, declaring loud and clear, - to complete the headline above: "Freedom of movement is everybody's right!". Their voices rise across borders, defying fear, reclaiming dignity, and demanding justice for all on the move. In 2025: • 59,295 people arrived to Italy and Malta by sea, many of whom arrived autonomously (UNHCR figures up to 1 November) • 12,192 people were rescued by the Civil fleet from almost 230 boats in distress (CMRCC figure up to September 10) • 22,945 people were pushed back to Libya after they were intercepted by the EU-supported so-called Libyan Coast Guard (IOM figure up to 1 November) • 1.044 people have been reported dead or missing on the Central Mediterranean Route (IOM figure up to 1 November)eniam.
Since the night between 14 and 15 February, almost a week ago, the arrivals on Lampedusa have started again. After a week's stop, the Favaloro pier is once again bustling with people rescued by the Coast Guard and the Guardia di Finanza near the island.
At the end of September 2022, the arrival in power in Italy of a post-fascist party
has reinforced a discourse of hatred, promoting racism and closed borders. As more
pronounced attacks against civil sea rescue NGOs already begin to take place, it is
clear that civil society will feature as one of the targets of the new government....
Eight years ago, on 11 October 2014, we launched the Alarm Phone, a hotline for people in distress at sea. Since then, our shift teams are available 24/7 and have assisted about 5.000 boats in distress along the different maritime routes to Europe - the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic to the Canary Islands, and since 2022 also across the Channel,...
CommemorAction - a verbal combination of mourning and anger - developed by
relatives, survivors and supporters as an outcry to the ongoing racist murder at
the borders. In reference to the transnational days of CommemorAction in the
beginning of September in Zarzis/Tunisia, we dedicate this 2nd issue of Echoes to
the people missing and drowned...
