A bridge on the Basque border, between Hendaye and Irún, closed for two years to “fight against illegal immigration” and reopened Monday for the passage of the Tour de France, was immediately closed Tuesday morning, according to the mayor of Hendaye.
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques prefecture, which had issued a derogatory decree to authorize access for a day, argues for an opening “necessary” for the smooth running of the cycling race but “exceptional and temporary”, which deplores the aedile, Kotte Ecenarro.
Monday, at the end of the day, he had instructed municipal officials not to reinstall the barriers on this pedestrian bridge but “the police put them back this (Tuesday) morning on instructions from the prefecture”, he said. “The mayor of Irún, whom I had on the phone, is also furious. It’s all absurd.”
Eight border crossing points have been closed since 2021 along the Franco-Spanish border to “combat illegal immigration and the terrorist threat”, according to French authorities. “No decision has been taken to date concerning the reopening of other border points”, specifies the prefecture.
Kotte Ecenarro, who has been campaigning for free access for two years, is worried about possible militant actions to come on both sides of the border. “When people don’t understand, when it’s absurd, you have to expect anything, especially in these crazy times, where everyone is angry. We add problems that have no place to be”.
The authorities indicate that this type of temporary opening is “relatively frequent” for the passage of sporting events. For example, the route of the next Tour of Spain cycling will pass through the Port of Larrau on September 9, where the border has also been administratively closed since 2021.