Calais: Eviction at Grande-Synthe

8.45am [December 29] in Grande Synthe where an expulsion of refugees is taking place. Two identity checks, impossible to enter the forest where about twenty police entered. They are accompanied by cleaning crews, who tear up the tents to prevent their reuse.There are a lot more these day, the ground is soaked, spongy. One by one, the police destroy the tents where migrants are still sleeping. A Kurdish man hurries out, stuff in hand, heading into the forest. It’s raining, two degrees. Some go quickly, carrying on trolleys what they can save from the blows of the digger. Cops Police officers try to convince them to take the buses, without knowing themselves where these buses go. All the tents and tarpaulins are cut and torn, one by one. A young Kurd from Erbil, annoyed and laughing nervously, takes a pciture of his big orange tent being destroyed, “Oh no, man, don’t touch my house, no, no” “OH. I’m homeless now”.

11:28 am, those who were unable or unwilling to leave on the buses burn their blankets which after being thrown into the mud when the tents were seized by the police are soaked, soiled and unusable. Here are photos of the cleaning teams who accompany the police during the evictions in Grande-Synthe. Balaclava, knife in hand to slash the tents. Imagine for two seconds the amazement of the migrants awakened by this at 8am this morning.

[Machinetranslated from twitter]