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| Calais child refugees cover their faces as they arrive in the UK | Calais child refugees cover their faces as they arrive in the UK |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Some of the latest unaccompanied refugee children to travel from Calais to London covered their faces as they arrived, following a row about the ages of the first teenagers to be rescued. | Some of the latest unaccompanied refugee children to travel from Calais to London covered their faces as they arrived, following a row about the ages of the first teenagers to be rescued. |
| Their attempt to conceal their faces on Thursday came amid frustration from campaigners that the Home Office has not done enough to protect the anonymity of those being helped. | Their attempt to conceal their faces on Thursday came amid frustration from campaigners that the Home Office has not done enough to protect the anonymity of those being helped. |
| Fourteen children arrived at an immigration centre in Croydon, south London, on Thursday morning, before the camp in Calais is expected to be demolished on Monday. | |
| Among the group were five boys aged 12 to 14. There were also six boys and three girls described as slightly older teenagers. Six youngsters, including all the girls, covered their heads and faces in towels as they were greeted by reporters and photographers. | Among the group were five boys aged 12 to 14. There were also six boys and three girls described as slightly older teenagers. Six youngsters, including all the girls, covered their heads and faces in towels as they were greeted by reporters and photographers. |
| More than 50 of over 1,000 children in the camp have arrived in the UK under a programme to resettle unaccompanied minors. The latest group were the first to cover their faces, according to volunteers. | More than 50 of over 1,000 children in the camp have arrived in the UK under a programme to resettle unaccompanied minors. The latest group were the first to cover their faces, according to volunteers. |
| James Asfa, a community organiser with Citizens UK – which is helping coordinate the arrival of the children – said: “The first few children came out without covers. The second group didn’t want to be photographed but there was a concern the photographers would continue despite being asked not to by volunteers so they put blankets over themselves just before they got off the bus for protection.” | James Asfa, a community organiser with Citizens UK – which is helping coordinate the arrival of the children – said: “The first few children came out without covers. The second group didn’t want to be photographed but there was a concern the photographers would continue despite being asked not to by volunteers so they put blankets over themselves just before they got off the bus for protection.” |
| Another source working with the children said: “Lots of them don’t want the invasive photography that some of their peers had earlier in the week.” | Another source working with the children said: “Lots of them don’t want the invasive photography that some of their peers had earlier in the week.” |
| Media coverage of the first arrivals and a call by the Tory MP David Davies to force them to undergo dental or hand x-rays to verify their ages have been widely criticised. | Media coverage of the first arrivals and a call by the Tory MP David Davies to force them to undergo dental or hand x-rays to verify their ages have been widely criticised. |
| Josie Naughton, the co-founder of Help Refugees, urged the Home Office to do more to protect the identities of the children. “Exposing them to the media is disrespectful and hugely unkind. The media attention makes the public think the government is doing something, that the crisis is over. It isn’t. [Fewer] than 100 children have come to the UK this week and there are thousands more. | |
| “These children’s lives are their own and not public property. There are laws protecting children in the UK. Why isn’t it the same for them? It is super important to remember these are vulnerable children fleeing war and conflict and unimaginable experiences. They deserve privacy and respect.” | |
| The Home Office said in a statement: “Our focus is, and will continue to be, transferring eligible children and young people from Calais to the UK before the camp clearance begins. We urge everyone, including the media, to respect the privacy of these vulnerable individuals.” | The Home Office said in a statement: “Our focus is, and will continue to be, transferring eligible children and young people from Calais to the UK before the camp clearance begins. We urge everyone, including the media, to respect the privacy of these vulnerable individuals.” |
| Security outside the Home Office building was significantly increased as the fourth group of child refugees prepared to leave. | Security outside the Home Office building was significantly increased as the fourth group of child refugees prepared to leave. |
| By Thursday afternoon, screens, yellow tape and metal fences had been erected around the exit, in a belated attempt to protect the identities of the children. Despite the increased security no children were seen leaving the building by that exit, instead leaving separately with volunteers. | |
| Meanwhile, the fostering and adoption charity Tact has distanced itself from a claim on its Twitter account that concerned the status of a male widely pictured on stories about the refugee children arriving in Britain. After the Sun and other newspapers suggested the male was an asylum seeker, the tweet claimed he was an interpreter instead. | Meanwhile, the fostering and adoption charity Tact has distanced itself from a claim on its Twitter account that concerned the status of a male widely pictured on stories about the refugee children arriving in Britain. After the Sun and other newspapers suggested the male was an asylum seeker, the tweet claimed he was an interpreter instead. |
| The Home Office confirmed on Thursday that the man was not one of its interpreters. And Tact said in a statement: “Our information was from a credible source. However, if the male is indeed a migrant and not an interpreter, Tact regrets any concern caused. The tweet has now been withdrawn as we do not want to cause any further distress to the individual depicted.” | The Home Office confirmed on Thursday that the man was not one of its interpreters. And Tact said in a statement: “Our information was from a credible source. However, if the male is indeed a migrant and not an interpreter, Tact regrets any concern caused. The tweet has now been withdrawn as we do not want to cause any further distress to the individual depicted.” |