Court rules ‘Jungle’ tents can be razed

A French court has given the green light to raze tents sheltering hundreds of migrants in the ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais.

A court official said the Lille Administrative Court ruled yesterday that French authorities can evict migrants from their tents in the densely-populated southern portion of the camp but cannot entirely demolish it.

Associations protesting the move took the issue to court seeking a postponement of a deadline reached last Tuesday for migrants to move out.

The court in Lille ruled that the makeshift shelters used by the migrants can be destroyed – but that common spaces like places of worship, schools and a library must stand.

Demolition crews have been poised to start what officials say will be a better solution for migrants trapped in Calais with borders all but sealed by increasing security.

Officials estimate the number of migrants who will be affected at 800-1,000. Humanitarian organisations say more than 3,000 migrants live there.

Moving the migrants out of the camp – home to about 4,000 people – will be the most dramatic step by the French state to end Calais’ years-long migrant problem.

Critics contend that closing the camp may not solve the problem.

The same court in Lille ordered the state in November to clean up the camp by adding running water, toilets and garbage bins, and counting the number of minors without families – now 326 – and help those in distress.