This is the moment Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez applauded as the physical barriers separating Gibraltar from Spain officially become history.
In a ceremony on Wednesday morning, workers removed the iconic border gates as the Socialist PM watched on alongside Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
The leaders and various ministers were all smiles as cranes lifted away the black iron gates that for decades marked one of Europe’s most politically sensitive frontiers.
The ceremony took place just hours after the landmark UK-EU agreement came into force, bringing an end to routine passport controls at the land border and effectively integrating Gibraltar into the Schengen free movement area.
Senior political figures from Spain and Gibraltar gathered beneath the Rock to witness the moment, including Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares and local officials from both sides of the border.
The event unfolded under tight security, with armed snipers visible on nearby rooftops while police and security personnel guarded the perimeter throughout the event.
Workers used large cranes to carefully detach the heavy steel gates before lifting them onto waiting trucks.
The border has defined life on both sides of the frontier for generations, with thousands of workers crossing daily between La Linea and Gibraltar.
The new agreement means routine passport checks at the land crossing have now ended, although Gibraltar’s own immigration controls remain in place and Spanish officers will instead carry out Schengen entry checks for arriving non-EU passengers at Gibraltar Airport and the port.
The removal of the gates represents one of the most visible consequences of the post-Brexit treaty agreed between the UK, Gibraltar, Spain and the EU after more than three years of negotiations.
For Gibraltar’s economy, the change is expected to ease the daily commute for around 15,000 cross-border workers while allowing residents and visitors to move freely between the Rock and Spain without stopping at passport booths.
The ceremony comes less than 24 hours after thousands of Spain fans streamed into Gibraltar to celebrate La Roja’s victory over France, with crowds filling the streets after the border effectively opened overnight.
