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| As ‘Jungle’ camp taken down, French police clash with desperate migrants | As ‘Jungle’ camp taken down, French police clash with desperate migrants |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| PARIS — Police scuffled Tuesday with migrants protesting the demolition of a shantytown known as “the Jungle” as authorities moved ahead with plans to dismantle the camp in northern France used for attempts to sneak into Britain. | |
| The French decision to raze the makeshift settlement in Calais reflects wider measures across Europe to tighten border controls and curb movements amid a historic wave of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers from regions such as North Africa and war zones in Syria and Iraq. | The French decision to raze the makeshift settlement in Calais reflects wider measures across Europe to tighten border controls and curb movements amid a historic wave of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers from regions such as North Africa and war zones in Syria and Iraq. |
| The “Jungle” encampment — currently home to an estimated 4,000 people — has become an emblem of the entire European migrant crisis: a mix of squalor, desperation and hope. | |
| The area, near ferry docks and the Eurotunnel rail link with Britain, is the staging ground for often dangerous bids to cross the English Channel by trying to stow away aboard trucks, trains and boats. Many migrants — from Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and other places — seek to reach Britain in hopes of finding work or joining family. | |
| [French court clears way for camp demolition] | [French court clears way for camp demolition] |
| While the British government has refused to take most of them in, France has now decided that they cannot remain in the camp and promised to relocate them to nearby container units or to other refugee centers across the country. | |
| On Monday, authorities began destroying the Jungle’s southern section, its most densely populated area. Clashes flared through the night, with police firing tear gas and forcibly removing migrants trying to stand their ground. Fires were reported in several areas of the camp slated for demolition. | On Monday, authorities began destroying the Jungle’s southern section, its most densely populated area. Clashes flared through the night, with police firing tear gas and forcibly removing migrants trying to stand their ground. Fires were reported in several areas of the camp slated for demolition. |
| A woman early Tuesday stood atop one of the shanties and cut her wrists as police moved in, the Associated Press reported. Her condition was not immediately known. A man accompanying her was beaten by baton-wielding police. | A woman early Tuesday stood atop one of the shanties and cut her wrists as police moved in, the Associated Press reported. Her condition was not immediately known. A man accompanying her was beaten by baton-wielding police. |
| According to a census conducted two weeks ago by the organization Help Refugees, an estimated 3,400 people live in the southern area of the camp, 305 of whom are unaccompanied children fending for themselves. | |
| [British leader blasted for “bunch of migrants” comment] | [British leader blasted for “bunch of migrants” comment] |
| The destruction of the camp — authorized by a French judge last week — has sparked outrage from aid groups and a legal challenge from about 200 migrants and eight nongovernmental organizations. | |
| Bernard Cazeneuve, France’s interior minister, promised Thursday that the camp would be taken down methodically. “It has never been our intention to send in bulldozers to destroy the camp,” he said. | Bernard Cazeneuve, France’s interior minister, promised Thursday that the camp would be taken down methodically. “It has never been our intention to send in bulldozers to destroy the camp,” he said. |
| But bulldozers arrived early Monday along with a crew of about 20 workers who began tearing down homes and buildings. | But bulldozers arrived early Monday along with a crew of about 20 workers who began tearing down homes and buildings. |
| Clare Moseley, the founder of Care4Calais, one of the nongovernmental aid organizations working on behalf of the refugees, accused French officials of reneging on pledges for a slow-paced intervention in the camp. | |
| “They said they were going to be doing this slowly and gently — and with our cooperation,” she said in an interview. “Let’s just say that has not happened.” | “They said they were going to be doing this slowly and gently — and with our cooperation,” she said in an interview. “Let’s just say that has not happened.” |
| Authorities began demolishing tents and homes in the camp, in some cases giving migrants one hour’s notice, according to Moseley. | Authorities began demolishing tents and homes in the camp, in some cases giving migrants one hour’s notice, according to Moseley. |
| Calais officials had no immediate comment. | |
| Fabienne Buccio, a local prefect, insisted recently that a police presence was necessary because “extremists” might persuade migrants to reject the government’s proposed alternatives. | |
| Moseley said she and other volunteers were able to enter the camp but faced tear gas and pepper spray. | |
| “I do not call that nonconfrontational or nonviolent,” she said. | |
| Read more: | Read more: |
| Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world |