By Nick Fagge
NEARLY 50 protesters were arrested in Calais as they tried to help hundreds of illegal migrants walk into Britain during a week of protests against UK border regulations.
Heavily armed riot police were drafted in after the activists – from Britain, Germany, Italy and France – threatened to tear down fencing around the Channel Tunnel and lead the migrants into Britain.
But the 1,500-strong mob was outnumbered by security forces who guarded the ferry port and the tunnel entrance.
Weapons including machetes, clubs and metal poles were found in raids on the protesters’ camp outside the town centre.
An onlooker said: “The anarchists came to help the migrants on their way to England.”
Protests in support of illegal migrants trying to get into Britain turned violent yesterday, writes Peter Allen in Calais.
British anarchists from the No Borders group were involved in clashes that brought the channel port of Calais to a standstill.
“They turned up looking for trouble,” said a spokesman for the elite French CRS riot police.
Chris Morgan, 31, who was among the 2,000 protesters, said: “Nothing should prevent immigrants travelling from one country to the other.
“Borders between the UK and France shouldn’t exist and we’re fighting to get rid of them.”
British tourists were caught up in the violence.
Paul Rochester, 36, from Norwich, said: “As soon as we got off the ferry we could see something was going on. We’re not hanging around to see what happens.”
Police clash with immigration protesters in Calais. [Telegraph 27 Jun 2009]
By Peter Allen in Paris
The brawls followed threats by a group calling itself No Borders to "tear down the borders" to England. The 2,000 demonstrators were met by a similar number of French riot squad officers, who deployed tear gas in efforts to disperse troublemakers.
Last month Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, said Britain's "lax asylum system and benefits culture" had imposed thousands of illegal migrants on the port town. A tense atmosphere has gripped the town all week, with a spotter helicopter circling overhead, roads blocked, and mobile police patrols circulating constantly. "Protestors have turned up looking for trouble," said a police spokesman.
Chris Morgan, 31, who was among British activists in the demonstration, said: "There should be nothing preventing immigrants traveling from one country to the other. The borders between the UK and France should not exist, and we're fighting to get rid of them."
A tense atmosphere has gripped the town all week, with a spotter helicopter circling overhead, roads blocked, and mobile police patrols circulating constantly.
As protesters picched tents and marquees on an official camp site to the east of Calais, some of the 2,000 odd migrants sleeping rough in the Calais area joined them.
This prompted the local authorities to obtain an official order preventing anyone buying or possessing anything which might be used as a weapon - including substances which could start fires or be used to make Molotov cocktails.
They said they had received email threats by protesters pledging to destroy wire fences and other security measures around the Channel Tunnel.
There were also threats to burn "symbols of capitalism" including local government offices, and hotels run by prominent global chains.
Local prefect Pierre de Bosquet said: "We received intelligence about widespread violence and could take no chances." Last month Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, said the UK's lax asylum system and benefits culture had "imposed" thousands of illegal migrants on her town.
In a blistering attack in which she also called for millions in compensation, Mrs Bouchart said the UK was entirely to blame for the those who use the port as a staging point.
French protest demands open borders for asylum seekers. [Digital Journal 28.06.09]
By Michael Cosgrove.
No Border, a European organisation which seeks to improve conditions for homeless illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, held a demonstration yesterday in Calais, France, to defend the thousands of people trying to get to the UK by illegal means.
Europe is a natural destination for refugees from many parts of the world, from Afghanistan to Algeria, Iraq to Iran, Sri Lanka to Somalia.
There are thousands of them dotted around European countries, having entered European territory primarily via Italy, Spain and other Southern European countries.
Many of them do not stay in those countries however, preferring to move north to richer countries such as Germany, France, Scandinavia and Britain, in order to find work and start a new life.
Their favourite destination by far, however, is Great Britain, which many of them believe offers the most advantageous conditions of housing, job and financial help. Those looking to be accepted into Europe as Asylum candidates also believe that their chances of being accepted are higher in Great Britain.
That is why thousands of them have congregated around Calais over the years, often in appalling conditions.
The Channel Tunnel, the undersea rail link between the European mainland and England, is situated very near Calais and its seaport is the largest point of departure for sea ferries to Britain due to its being situated so close to England, the coast of which, in the form of the famous White Cliffs of Dover, can be seen from there on a clear day.
Many of these migrants have died in attempts to reach Great Britain.
The demonstration cortege consisted of between one and two thousand people, depending on estimates, and contained left-wing militants and anti world trade protesters, as well as trade unionists. They were mainly French, British, Belgian, Dutch or German.
Around sixty of them had been arrested in the days leading up to the demonstration as they converged on Calais, mainly for the possession of arms or dangerous objects such as knives and axes.
The demonstration was heavily surveilled by anti-riot police, who also deployed a surveillance helicopter and water cannons.
Banner slogans included “Workers or Immigrants, it’s the same Fight” and “Immigration means Wealth for France.”
There were no major incidents during the march but the issues that led to it remain largely unresolved.
Britain and France have never been able to agree on a joint policy for dealing with the problem of would-be illegal immigrants into Britain.
The British have accused the French of not dealing with the problem of thousands of people congregating around Calais, and the French blame the UK for what it claimed to be its lax immigration policies.
Both blamed the European union for not having a uniform immigration policy.
The worst episode in this ongoing situation was the creation of a massive refugee camp in nearby Sangatte by the Red Cross. It was based in and around disused industrial premises created, ironically, for Channel Tunnel equipment, and it held thousands of people in squalid conditions. It was situated very near the Tunnel, provoking the ire of British authorities.
People would leave the camp by various means and try desperately to reach Britain alone, or in groups, using Euro-tunnel trains. Methods used included jumping onto moving trains bound for Britain from bridges, riding underneath trains after having accessed them by provoking their immobilisation by sabotaging railway equipment.
Many people have been killed or injured during these attempts.
Another method used was being smuggled aboard trucks. Some people managed to board trucks without their drivers knowing, often at gas stations or lorry parks, whilst others were smuggled by organised crime.
This method also led to the deaths of individuals, notably by suffocation due to heat due to summer months. In one incident, over twenty people died of suffocation in a truck used by an organised crime network.
Rioting was also frequent at Sangatte, and in an incident which took place in 2001, over 500 people stormed the camp’s fences and tried to board trains en masse.
The centre was finally closed in 2002, after an estimated 60 thousand illegal migrants had entered British territory.
The number of migrants in the Calais area has dropped since then, and they are now estimated to number around 1500 at any given time, around 50 of whom manage to enter Britain illegally each week.
The migrant population today is said to include mainly Afghans, Eritreans, Irakians and Somalians.
Most of them live in appalling conditions in a shanty town constructed in the woods near the Tunnel, commonly known as “The Jungle.”
Activists campaigning for the abolition of migration controls are planning a demonstration march in Calais.
The organisers, mainly from the UK, France and Belgium, are holding a week-long protest camp in Calais and hope up to 2,000 people will march on Saturday.
The No Border Camp told the BBC about 500 people were staying there so far, including campaigners, migrant support groups and migrants living in the area.
Police have arrested some activists in the town but have not entered the camp.
Protesters have complained of heavy-handed policing which they said had gradually increased since the camp event began on 23 June.
They said there were helicopters circling overhead, and some 1,500 armed officers were patrolling the town and the area around the authorised camp - in a park outside Calais - and manning several checkpoints.
A Calais police official told the BBC a helicopter was flying over the camp. He said he "couldn't say" how many officers had been deployed but confirmed they were carrying shields, batons and guns, plus tear gas.
The campaign group said the camp was non-violent and have vehemently denied some press reports suggesting they intended to storm the Channel Tunnel on Saturday to help migrants waiting to reach Britain enter the country.
"We are not here to martyr ourselves," said campaigner Sam Davies.
Ms Davies, 31, who is from Bristol, added: "The idea that a few hundred people would try to charge through a train tunnel is just insane."
'Freedom of movement'
The No Border Camp - one of several to have been organised around the world - was aiming to highlight the plight of migrants living in "refugee camp" conditions in Calais, she said.
Organised by a broad coalition - including the UK No Borders network - it also calls for the freedom of movement for all, with the abolition of borders and all immigration controls.
Since Wednesday, camp participants have staged protest actions such as chaining themselves to a detention centre near Lille. Another activist glued himself to the local mayor's office to protest about lack of sanitation for migrants living in Calais.
There are estimated to be about 1,000 migrants in makeshift camps, known as "the jungle", in Calais.
Most - from countries such as Afghanistan, Somalia and Eritrea - are hoping to enter Britain, sometimes by smuggling themselves into lorries.
The camps began to appear after France closed the Sangatte Red Cross refugee centre in 2002.
Ms Davies said migrants living in the Calais "jungle" were coming to the No Border Camp to meet activists, use showers and get food and some basic medical supplies.
"We don't believe there's a rational debate about the genuine reasons why migrants are coming, especially in the UK, where much of the coverage is almost hysterical.
"We want to put the other side, which is that Britain has a reputation for respecting human rights, and that's something we should be proud of."
Police charges
She said they had been gathering stories from migrants and networking with other activists at the camp.
"Since we got here it's almost been like a festival atmosphere, then only today [Friday] it started to feel quite tense."
She said the police presence had increased and for a few hours on Friday the police had blocked access to the camp, with two people arrested when they tried to get out to buy toilet paper, she said.
However, the police said it was activists who had blocked a road near the camp.
They said 11 people had been detained this week and five were facing charges, including carrying weapons and theft.
47 arrests as Calais riot fears build up. [The Sun 26 Jun 2009]
By NICK PARKER
FRENCH riot cops made 47 arrests yesterday following clashes with anarchists plotting to help asylum seekers smash their way into Britain.
Trouble flared in Calais when more than 100 migrants joined protesters at a makeshift camp.
Machetes, metal poles and a mace were seized and 17 people were held.
The rest were arrested after chaining themselves to a detention centre for UK-bound foreigners.
Several hundred people are massing for a "No Borders" march tomorrow.
Cops have intercepted protesters' emails pledging to destroy wire fences and other security measures around the Channel Tunnel and ferry port.
Anarchist groups have also vowed to torch government offices.
A police spokesman said: "All vulnerable targets are being guarded. We can take no chances."
Police arrest 47 anarchists threatening to lead swarms of illegal migrants through Channel tunnel to Britain. [Daily Mail 25th June 2009]
By Peter Allen
French riot police have arrested 47 anarchists after they threatened to lead swarms of illegal migrants through the Channel Tunnel to Britain.
Weapons including machetes, metal poles and a spiked club were found hidden by the activists during raids in Calais late on Wednesday.
Some of those arrested had been massing in a protest camp aimed at helping the migrants to ‘tear down the borders’ to England .
More than 800 elite CRS riot-control officers are in the town, with another 1,200 on standby in the immediate vicinity.
A tense atmosphere has gripped the port all week, with a spotter helicopter circling overhead, roads blocked, and mobile police patrols circulating constantly.
A local policeman spokesman confirmed that 17 of the arrests had been made in the vicinity of the camp, where officers were using stop and search tactics.
He added: ‘Those detained face a range of public order offences including carrying offensive weapons. Others were carrying drugs.
‘Many hundreds are massing in the town, ready for a widescale demonstration against immigration control on Saturday. All vulnerable targets are being guarded. We can take no chances.’
Of the arrested protesters, another 30 had chained themselves to the Lesquin detention centre in Calais and had to be cut free before being taken away.
All the protestors are from a group calling itself ‘No Borders’, which has pledged to ‘tear down the borders’ stopping migrants getting across the Channel.
As their tents and marquees were pitched on an official site to the east of Calais, some of the 2,000 odd migrants sleeping rough in the Calais area began to join them.
Local authorities in Calais have gained an official order preventing anyone buying or possessing anything which might be used as a weapon – including substances which can start fires or be used to make Molotov cocktails.
They said they had received email threats by protesters pledging to destroy wire fences and other security measures around the Channel Tunnel .
There have also been threats to burn ‘symbols of capitalism’ including local government offices, and even hotels run by prominent global chains.
Local prefect Pierre de Bosquet said that 2,000 CRS officers were in the vicinity of the town, along with a squadron of mounted officers.
Mr De Bosquet said police intelligence had revealed plans for wide scale violence.
Last month Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, said the UK ’s lax asylum system and benefits culture had ‘imposed’ thousands of illegal migrants on her town.
In a blistering attack in which she also called for millions in compensation, Mrs Bouchart said the UK was entirely to blame for the those who use the port as a staging point.
Mrs Bouchart, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s ruling UMP Party, even called for border controls to be lifted to allow all migrants to flood across the Channel at the earliest opportunity.
Such views are heartily supported by the militants organising the ‘No Border’ demonstrations.
THOUSANDS of riot cops were called in last night to stop anarchists helping UK-bound asylum seekers from storming the Channel Tunnel.
Police armed with batons, rubber bullets and CS gas held back hundreds of protesters at Coquelles, near Calais.
The “No Borders” activists, who come from all over Europe — including BRITAIN — have threatened to rip down fences to help migrants across.
Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart has blamed the UK’s lax asylum and benefit systems for the immigrants in her town.
She also wants border controls to be lifted so they can come to Britain.
Riot police protect Channel Tunnel as anarchists threaten to 'tear down borders' and head for Britain. [Daily Mail 23rd June 2009]
By Peter Allen
Riot police massed around the entrance of the Channel Tunnel today following threats by protesters to storm it along with UK-bound illegal migrants.
Squadrons of elite officers joined gendarmes in the show of strength near Calais.
It followed the arrival of hundreds of anarchists in the port who have set up a camp aimed at helping migrants ‘tear down the borders’ to England.
More than 800 police are in the town, with another 1,200 on standby nearby.
An uneasy stand-off soon developed with the protesters as a ‘spotter’ helicopter circled the area and police patrols swamped the town.
‘There is a serious risk of public disorder and for this reason we have officers everywhere,’ said a police spokesman.
‘The entrance to the Channel Tunnel is a particularly vulnerable target and so we have increased out presence around it.
‘If any unauthorised person makes any attempt to get near it, then they will be arrested.'
In the camp itself, protesters began to arrive from all over Europe, including many from Britain.
All are from a group calling itself ‘No Borders’, which has pledged to ‘tear down the borders’ stopping migrants getting across the Channel.
As their tents and marquees were pitched, some of the 2000 odd migrants sleeping rough in the Calais area began to join them.
One, who said he was an Afghan called Ahmed, said: ‘The camp organisers have offered us food and drink, as well as a chance to get to England.
‘They are here to support us. The French authorities repress us, but we have friends who believe our cause is a just one.’
Local authorities in Calais have gained an official order preventing anyone buying or possessing anything which might be used as a weapon – including substances which can start fires or be used to make Molotov cocktails.
They said they had received email threats by protestors pledging to destroy wire fences and other security measures around the Channel Tunnel .
There have also been threats to burn ‘symbols of capitalism’ including local government offices, and even hotels run by prominent global chains.
Local prefect Pierre de Bosquet confirmed that 2,000 officers were ‘in the vicinity’ of the town, along with a squadron of mounted officers.
Mr De Bosquet said police intelligence had revealed plans for wide scale violence.
Last month Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais , said the UK ’s lax asylum system and benefits culture had ‘imposed’ thousands of illegal migrants on her town.
In a blistering attack in which she also called for millions in compensation, Mrs Bouchart said the UK was entirely to blame for the those who use the port as a staging point.
Mrs Bouchart, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s ruling UMP Party, even called for border controls to be lifted to allow all migrants to flood across the Channel at the earliest opportunity.
Such views are heartily supported by the militants organising the ‘No Border’ demonstrations, which are set to run until Saturday, when their main demonstration will take place.
Riot police descend on Calais as anarchists incite migrants to 'tear down border controls and make for Britain'. [Daily Mail 16th June 2009]
By Peter Allen
Riot police have begun to arrive in Calais as an anarchist group pledged to help illegal migrants 'tear down border controls and make for Britain'.
More than 2,000 protesters are expected in the port next week for seven days of direct action.
The French arm of a group calling itself No Borders is advertising a 'Freedom of Movement' camp in the port.
It is calling on protesters from Britain and other European countries to join them in ‘tearing down borders.’
One anarchist, known only as Thierry, who has already pitched a tent next to the CRS’s temporary quarters next door to Calais port, said: 'Calais is a symbol of injustices committed against the world's migrants.
'The authorities are taking us very seriously. We intend to encourage migrants to ignore border controls and get over to Britain en masse.'
'We're prepared for the worst,' said Jean-Philippe Joubert, a state prosecutor from nearby Boulogne.
'Emergency magistrates will be mobilised to ensure that anyone causing trouble will be imprisoned immediately.
'We don't know exactly what this group intend to do, but we won't take any chances.
'Whatever happens, we are ready to react.'
Some 2,000 migrants are based in the Calais area, with many playing a regular game of cat and mouse with the police as they try to get to Britain by stowing away on lorries and trains.
There they will claim asylum or disappear into the black economy.
Although the French have pledged to tear down migrants camps in Calais itself, many believe Britain should accept all the migrants who want to go there.
Last month Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, said the UK’s lax asylum system and benefits culture had ‘imposed’ thousands of illegal migrants on her town.
In a blistering attack in which she also called for millions in compensation, Mrs Bouchart said the UK was entirely to blame for the those who use the port as a staging point.
Mrs Bouchart, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s ruling UMP Party, even called for border controls to be lifted to allow all migrants to flood across the Channel at the earliest opportunity.
Such views are heartily supported by the militants organizing the ‘No Border’ demonstrations, which are set to run between June 23 and 29.
A Calais police spokesman added: 'Extra officers are being drafted into Calais from a 100-mile radius in order to deal with a threat to public order posed by protesters.'
‘The reinforcements have already arrived, with the demonstrations due to start properly next week.’
Hundreds of armed riot police massed on Tuesday as anarchists pledged to mobilise migrants in Calais to 'tear down border controls and make for Britain'.
The authorities vowed to detain offenders and said they were expecting 2,000 protesters at a 'Freedom of Movement' camp in the port town.
'We're prepared for the worst,' said state prosecutor Jean-Phillipe Joubert.
'Emergency magistrates will be mobilised to ensure anyone causing trouble will be imprisoned immediately.'
One of the anarchists, who has camped next to the elite CRS police officers' quarters, said: 'Calais is a symbol of injustices committed against the world's migrants.'
About 2,000 migrants are based in and around Calais and play a regular game of cat and mouse with the police as they try to stow away on trucks bound for Britain.
There, they will claim asylum or simply vanish into the black economy.
Last month, the mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, said Britain's benefits culture and lax asylum system had 'imposed' thousands of refugees on her town.
She demanded millions in compensation and even called for border controls to be lifted, allowing all migrants to flood across the Channel at the earliest opportunity.
Such views are heartily supported by the anarchists organising the 'No Border' demonstrations, set to run from next week.
A police spokesman said: 'Reinforcements have already arrived.'