Riots alert as migrant jungle camp is torn down
CHARITY workers warned yesterday that a refugee camp in Calais is a “pressure cooker about to blow”.
It came as French officials began tearing down cafes and restaurants in the Calais Jungle camp, a staging point for those trying to get to Britain.
Civil servants have visited the shanty town and closed down illegal businesses for the first time as part of a new initiative.
Thirteen people – 10 Afghans and three Pakistanis – were arrested last week for illegal trading and their goods seized.
Numerous aid groups offering help to more than 6,000 men, women and children living in the camp say the tactics are a recipe for disaster. A spokesman for L’Auberge des Migrants – also known as Migrant Shelter – said: “This is the first time that these little businesses have been targeted.
“They have always provided a sense of community and a feeling of purpose for the migrants running them.
“Getting them shut down suggests that the authorities are ready to tear down the entire camp. It is already a pressure cooker about to blow. The situation is extremely tense.”
Four of the arrested men will appear in court in nearby Boulogne in October, where they will face charges under French trading legislation. Rioting frequently breaks out around the camp as migrants fight over everything from food supplies to deals with people smugglers.
Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, has already warned the Jungle will be “torn down” soon. In March, demolition experts supported by riot squads dismantled the southern half of the camp.
Tear gas was used as trouble erupted and police launched baton charges mainly against young men from Afghanistan, Eritrea and Syria.
Up to 6,000 migrants still live in the remaining northern half of the camp. Ms Bouchart said she has received assurances from officials close to Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve that the north side will soon be cleared.
Ms Bouchart tweeted this month: “We can’t wait any longer. We need to know as fast as possible when and how the Jungle will be torn down.”
She believed Mr Cazenueve would give the green light “very soon”.
Thousands of police are on duty as those living there make nightly attempts to reach Britain. Lorries, ferries and trains are favourite routes but some use inflatable boats or walk through the Channel Tunnel.