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UK aid convoy to Calais faces ban over 'security concerns' UK aid convoy to Calais faces ban over 'security concerns'
(35 minutes later)
A 250-vehicle convoy taking aid from Britain to migrants and refugees in the so-called Jungle camp in Calais is facing a last-minute ban by the French authorities at Dover, who are citing security concerns. A 250-vehicle convoy taking aid from Britain to the main refugee camp in Calais faces a last-minute ban by the French authorities at Dover, who are citing security concerns.
The French prefecture of Pas-de-Calais says those organising the convoy have called for a public demonstration and have invited organisations supporting refugees from all over Europe. The French prefecture of Pas-de-Calais says those organising the convoy have called for a public demonstration and have invited organisations that support refugees from all over Europe.
Diane Abbott, shadow secretary of state for international development and president of Stand Up To Racism, one of the groups organising the convoy, condemned the decision to block the group, which is made up of volunteers and others to deliver food, bedding and tents to the camp. Diane Abbott, the shadow secretary of state for international development and president of Stand Up To Racism, one of the groups organising the convoy, condemned the decision to block the group, made up of volunteers and others to deliver food, bedding and tents to the camp.
“It’s a shocking decision by the French authorities,” said Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington. “This is a humanitarian convoy that wanted to bring help and support to people in awful conditions. It’s as if the French police think if they pretend the camp does not exist, you don’t have to help them. They don’t want attention drawn to the camp. I’m very sorry the French authorities are blocking it.” “It’s a shocking decision by the French authorities,” said Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington. “This is a humanitarian convoy that wanted to bring help and support to people in awful conditions.
Organisers of the convoy, which has been planned for months, deny that it is a demonstration. The convoy, which was scheduled to leave the UK on 18 June, was organised in response to calls from refugee organisations for more volunteers and donations and in solidarity with the migrants and refugees, they say. “It’s as if the French police think if they pretend the camp does not exist, you don’t have to help them. They don’t want attention drawn to the camp. I’m very sorry the French authorities are blocking it.”
“This is unprecedented,” said Weyman Bennett, of Stand Up To Racism. “This has been known about for months. We have been told that if we go, we are calling a demonstration and that when we get to Dover we will be turned back. Organisers of the convoy, which has been planned for months, deny that it is a demonstration. They say it was scheduled to leave the UK on 18 June in response to calls from refugee organisations for more volunteers and donations.
“This is unprecedented,” said Weyman Bennett of Stand Up To Racism. “This has been known about for months. We have been told that if we go, we are calling a demonstration and that when we get to Dover we will be turned back.
“It’s adding insult to injury leaving refugees in a perilous state in Calais and then denying them aid and solidarity on a false pretext.“It’s adding insult to injury leaving refugees in a perilous state in Calais and then denying them aid and solidarity on a false pretext.
“There is a huge need for aid and there have been a lot of negative comments about migrants. We wanted to show solidarity. There was a plan for a football match and face-painting for the kids,” Bennett added. “There is a huge need for aid and there have been a lot of negative comments about migrants. We wanted to show solidarity. There was a plan for a football match and face-painting for the kids.”
He said that volunteers had bought tickets in advance for the ferry and were planning to unload the aid at a warehouse on the outskirts of Calais before travelling to the southern end of the camp for a rally. The convoy has been backed by Stop the War, the People’s Assembly, as well as Unite and Unison. Bennett said volunteers had bought tickets in advance for the ferry and were planning to unload the aid at a warehouse on the outskirts of Calais before travelling to the camp for a rally. The convoy has been backed by Stop the War, the People’s Assembly and the Unite and Unison trade unions.
Bennett said the convoy will travel to Dover whatever happens and demand that they get on the ferry with tickets they have already paid for. He said the convoywould travel to Dover whatever happens and demand that they get on the ferry with the tickets they have already paid for.
Clare Moseley, of Care4Calais, said that the convoy had been scheduled to drop aid at the warehouse and then converge at the southern end of the camp. Moseley said: “It’s just really disappointing. The timing is really bad. Obviously we want the aid. It would have been good for the refugees to have that show of solidarity to see that people in England care.” Clare Moseley of Care4Calais said: “It’s just really disappointing. The timing is really bad. Obviously we want the aid. It would have been good for the refugees to have that show of solidarity to see that people in England care.”
She said some of the camp’s residents had made kites and planned to fly them during the event.She said some of the camp’s residents had made kites and planned to fly them during the event.
Moseley added: “We’ve always been very clear from the start that we have no kind of protest or demonstration planned in France. We would have not agreed to it if there was going to be a demonstration.” She said that the camp had suffered from a decline in donations. “We’ve always been very clear from the start that we have no kind of protest or demonstration planned in France. We would have not agreed to it if there was going to be a demonstration.” She said that the camp had suffered from a decline in donations.
The convoy, made up of lorries and cars from volunteers as far away as Scotland and Newcastle, had planned to take food, clothes, bedding, tents and other goods to restock the warehouse. A statement from the head of the Calais prefecture, Fabienne Buccio, said the ban was necessary because of the security situation in France, which extended the state of emergency following the November terror attacks until after the Euro 2016 football tournament and the Tour de France cycle race. He also cited the double shooting of a police officer and her husband this week.
A statement by Fabienne Buccio, head of the Calais prefecture, said the ban was necessary because of the security situation in France, which extended the state of emergency following the November terror attacks until after the Euro 2016 football tournament and the Tour de France cycle race. He also cited the double shooting of a police officer and her husband this week. The prefecture said many people were expected to pass through the Pas-de-Calais area on 18 June, before the France v Switzerland game in Lille the next day. It added that a previous demonstration, jointly organised between refugee groups in Dover and Calais, had required police intervention.
The prefecture also said many people were expected to pass through the Pas-de-Calais area on 18 June, before the France v Switzerland game on 19 June in Lille. It added that a previous demonstration, jointly organised between refugee groups in Dover and Calais, had required police intervention.
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan police said the force was aware of the convoy, which plans to meet at Whitehall before setting off for Dover. “We have appropriate policing plans in place,” she said.A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan police said the force was aware of the convoy, which plans to meet at Whitehall before setting off for Dover. “We have appropriate policing plans in place,” she said.