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| Calais camp refugees stage sit-in protest as demolitions resume | Calais camp refugees stage sit-in protest as demolitions resume |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Migrants and refugees at Calais’ makeshift “Jungle” camp are staging a sit-in on top of shelters in an attempt to protect their homes from demolition work which resumed on Tuesday. | Migrants and refugees at Calais’ makeshift “Jungle” camp are staging a sit-in on top of shelters in an attempt to protect their homes from demolition work which resumed on Tuesday. |
| About two-dozen residents, with a few French activists, took position on top of hut roofs as riot police arrived at the site. | About two-dozen residents, with a few French activists, took position on top of hut roofs as riot police arrived at the site. |
| People on roofs of #Calais huts to stop workers demolishing them. Some pulled down by police earlier, I'm told pic.twitter.com/GsyKAR3z04 | People on roofs of #Calais huts to stop workers demolishing them. Some pulled down by police earlier, I'm told pic.twitter.com/GsyKAR3z04 |
| Riot police fired more teargas overnight after an operation to dismantle hundreds of temporary shelters led to clashes on Monday. | Riot police fired more teargas overnight after an operation to dismantle hundreds of temporary shelters led to clashes on Monday. |
| Related: Calais camp demolitions: are you affected? | |
| There was no immediate sign of unrest on Tuesday. Activists said some people had been forcibly removed from shelters earlier in the morning, with at least two taken away by police. | There was no immediate sign of unrest on Tuesday. Activists said some people had been forcibly removed from shelters earlier in the morning, with at least two taken away by police. |
| Workers continued the steady demolition of the camp throughout Tuesday morning, protected by dense lines of French police. | Workers continued the steady demolition of the camp throughout Tuesday morning, protected by dense lines of French police. |
| The orange-vested workers used power tools and their hands to pull down the wooden huts, the remnants of which were cleared away by diggers and put into giant metal skips. The section of the camp being cleared so far, home mainly to Iranian nationals, was lined with riot police, some carrying shields, CS gas canisters and masks. | The orange-vested workers used power tools and their hands to pull down the wooden huts, the remnants of which were cleared away by diggers and put into giant metal skips. The section of the camp being cleared so far, home mainly to Iranian nationals, was lined with riot police, some carrying shields, CS gas canisters and masks. |
| Signs of Monday’s unrest were evident around the camp, with large blackened spaces where shelters had burned down, and possessions strewn across the site. | Signs of Monday’s unrest were evident around the camp, with large blackened spaces where shelters had burned down, and possessions strewn across the site. |
| Those evicted so far were mainly men, though volunteers said one pregnant woman and her husband were among those evicted on Tuesday morning. | Those evicted so far were mainly men, though volunteers said one pregnant woman and her husband were among those evicted on Tuesday morning. |
| Nico Stevens from the British group Help Refugees said at least 150 people had so far lost their shelters, but many of those had remained in the camp, sleeping in tents or communal buildings. | Nico Stevens from the British group Help Refugees said at least 150 people had so far lost their shelters, but many of those had remained in the camp, sleeping in tents or communal buildings. |
| Authorities wanted those evicted to move either to a purpose-built camp of converted shipping containers adjoining the main site or take buses to accommodation centres elsewhere in France, Stevens said. “But as of two days ago there were only 140 places left in the container camp, and yesterday there was just one bus, so I’m not sure where people are meant to go.” | Authorities wanted those evicted to move either to a purpose-built camp of converted shipping containers adjoining the main site or take buses to accommodation centres elsewhere in France, Stevens said. “But as of two days ago there were only 140 places left in the container camp, and yesterday there was just one bus, so I’m not sure where people are meant to go.” |
| Stevens added that it appeared Calais authorities were set on demolishing the entire camp in the coming weeks. “They said they wanted it gone by the end of March, and that seems to be what is happening,” she said. | Stevens added that it appeared Calais authorities were set on demolishing the entire camp in the coming weeks. “They said they wanted it gone by the end of March, and that seems to be what is happening,” she said. |
| “We agree it should go, as it’s no way for people to live. But they promised people would be treated humanely and with dignity, and this is not happening. Some people were evicted at 5pm or 6pm last night, and had nowhere to go.” | “We agree it should go, as it’s no way for people to live. But they promised people would be treated humanely and with dignity, and this is not happening. Some people were evicted at 5pm or 6pm last night, and had nowhere to go.” |
| Several residents said they planned to stay in Calais, whatever happened. “I will stay here,” said a man from Darfur, whose shelter is close to those already dismantled. “I don’t want to go to England any more, just stay here.” | Several residents said they planned to stay in Calais, whatever happened. “I will stay here,” said a man from Darfur, whose shelter is close to those already dismantled. “I don’t want to go to England any more, just stay here.” |
| Meanwhile, in another flashpoint in Europe’s escalating migration crisis, teargas was also fired at people at Greece’s border with Macedonia, where more than 7,000 are stranded. The Macedonian president, Gjorge Ivanov, warned that the refugee route through the Balkans would have to close once Austria reached its cap of 37,500 migrants transiting through this year. | Meanwhile, in another flashpoint in Europe’s escalating migration crisis, teargas was also fired at people at Greece’s border with Macedonia, where more than 7,000 are stranded. The Macedonian president, Gjorge Ivanov, warned that the refugee route through the Balkans would have to close once Austria reached its cap of 37,500 migrants transiting through this year. |
| The UN’s refugee agency warned that Europe was on the “cusp of a largely self-induced humanitarian crisis”. | The UN’s refugee agency warned that Europe was on the “cusp of a largely self-induced humanitarian crisis”. |
| New figures showed that 131,724 people crossed the Mediterranean in January and February, including 122,637 landing in Greece. This is almost as much as the total for the first half of 2015. | |
| UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards warned that Greece cannot manage the crisis alone. “It should concern everyone that despite commitments to relocate 66,400 refugees from Greece, states have so far only pledged 1,539 spaces, and only 325 actual relocations have occurred,” he said. | UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards warned that Greece cannot manage the crisis alone. “It should concern everyone that despite commitments to relocate 66,400 refugees from Greece, states have so far only pledged 1,539 spaces, and only 325 actual relocations have occurred,” he said. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lord Mandelson, the former UK cabinet minister and EU commissioner, said: “Europe is grappling with an unprecedented crisis. I fear that this sort of crisis is going to grow as the Middle East becomes more volatile. | Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lord Mandelson, the former UK cabinet minister and EU commissioner, said: “Europe is grappling with an unprecedented crisis. I fear that this sort of crisis is going to grow as the Middle East becomes more volatile. |
| “The solution to this is not just to throw up new fences and new walls … what we need in Europe is a much stronger system to police the external border of Europe.” | “The solution to this is not just to throw up new fences and new walls … what we need in Europe is a much stronger system to police the external border of Europe.” |
| “Europe in the future has got to devise much more robust ways of creating safe and legal routes for refugees and asylum seekers, and to recognise that while Germany has done an enormous amount and taken on a huge burden, there are responsibilities for the rest of us.” | “Europe in the future has got to devise much more robust ways of creating safe and legal routes for refugees and asylum seekers, and to recognise that while Germany has done an enormous amount and taken on a huge burden, there are responsibilities for the rest of us.” |
| Local authorities, who have promised that no one will be evacuated by force, say 3,700 people live in the camp, and that between 800 and 1,000 will be affected by the eviction. But charities say a recent census counted at least 3,450 people in the southern part alone, including 300 unaccompanied children. | Local authorities, who have promised that no one will be evacuated by force, say 3,700 people live in the camp, and that between 800 and 1,000 will be affected by the eviction. But charities say a recent census counted at least 3,450 people in the southern part alone, including 300 unaccompanied children. |
| Many fear this will require them to claim asylum in France, and give up their hopes of travelling to Britain. | Many fear this will require them to claim asylum in France, and give up their hopes of travelling to Britain. |
| The UK-based Refugee Rights Data Project said that of the 460 residents asked what they would do if the camp was dismantled, 80% said they would remain in Calais or move to a more basic refugee encampment in nearby Dunkirk. | The UK-based Refugee Rights Data Project said that of the 460 residents asked what they would do if the camp was dismantled, 80% said they would remain in Calais or move to a more basic refugee encampment in nearby Dunkirk. |
| On Thursday, David Cameron is due to hold talks about the migration crisis with the French president, François Hollande. Britain has urged France to stem the flow of people crossing the Channel, and has funded a huge increase in security measures around the port and tunnel in Calais. | On Thursday, David Cameron is due to hold talks about the migration crisis with the French president, François Hollande. Britain has urged France to stem the flow of people crossing the Channel, and has funded a huge increase in security measures around the port and tunnel in Calais. |
| The French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, blamed Monday’s clashes on activists from the No Borders groups. He accused them of “harassing” French officials and confirmed that three people had been arrested. In a statement Cazenueuve also insisted the clearing operation will continue over the next few days. | The French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, blamed Monday’s clashes on activists from the No Borders groups. He accused them of “harassing” French officials and confirmed that three people had been arrested. In a statement Cazenueuve also insisted the clearing operation will continue over the next few days. |
| A spokesman for the Calais prefecture denied there was a vast new clearing operation under way. He said French officials from asylum agencies and other state agencies would continue to go from tent to tent to talk to migrants about their options, as they had done last week. | A spokesman for the Calais prefecture denied there was a vast new clearing operation under way. He said French officials from asylum agencies and other state agencies would continue to go from tent to tent to talk to migrants about their options, as they had done last week. |
| He said: “There is a reinforced police presence today to allow those officials to enter and talk to people. But this is a gradual process which will take place over several days and weeks. There will be no bulldozers.” | He said: “There is a reinforced police presence today to allow those officials to enter and talk to people. But this is a gradual process which will take place over several days and weeks. There will be no bulldozers.” |
| Fabienne Buccio, head of the Calais prefecture, said three-quarters of the homes in the southern part of the camp were empty after officials encouraged residents to leave over recent days. | Fabienne Buccio, head of the Calais prefecture, said three-quarters of the homes in the southern part of the camp were empty after officials encouraged residents to leave over recent days. |