Police close and destroy Syrian squat – Since the big eviction wave in autumn 2013, most migrants in Calais are forced to sleep outside in tents. But weather and temperature are horrible at the moment. Wind and rain makes it very difficult or impossible to live like this.
On Sunday the police closed and destroyed one of last squats in Calais. Just five persons have found shelter in this house, which had been empty since months.
The Cops arrived in the afternoon, when some of the inhabitants were at home. Without any warning the Cops broke their door and entered the building. The persons living there explained to the police that they are sick and can not live outside. But they did not care about that fact. They forced the people to leave their home. The were not able to take all their personal belongings with them.
When the evicted persons went back the same day to collect their clothes, blankets, food etc., they saw that the cops had smashed and messed up everything inside the house. They had pepper sprayed beds, blankets and clothes, spilled cooking oil all over the floor and their things. They found their clothes in a puddle in the floor.
In addition, once more the cops stole personal property from migrants. Heaters, tobacco and bags were missing after this destroying mission.
Published on https://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/police-close-and-destroy-syrian-squat/
Another migrant killed : Protests at the port of Calais
The successive deaths of a 17 year old Iranian migrant, who fell from a truck that he was trying to hide in to reach England on 30th January and a migrant killed by a bullet in the chest on 2nd February has caused a wave of outrage.
On 4th February, thirty migrants, mainly Syrians and Egyptians marched to the port to carry out a sit-in to demonstrate their anger at the death of migrants and the inhumane living conditions people face in Calais.
Four vans of CRS (riot police) and a few police cars were quick to arrive at the end of the port and controlled the migrants, also trying to intimidate people with insults. The CRS then filmed the control, zooming in on each migrant and activist present.
Police violence is systematic in Calais, the control yesterday is a daily recurrence of how cops like to deal with migrants : insults, provocations, checking papers and recurring harassment is the daily routine here.
The reality is that there is no intention to allow for anywhere for people to be able to live. Migrants congregate on land, blankets and tarpaulins used to protect people from cold, wind and rain that flood the tents. The living conditions of migrants are without dignity, new migrants arrive every day and it is more difficult to find blankets and clothes for them, the tents are increasingly rare and the few occupied homes are regularly expelled, illegally destroyed and tents are regularly torn and broken by the cops.
Published on https://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/another-migrant-killed-protests-at-the-port-of-calais/
