This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/oct/24/calais-camp-riot-police-prepare-demolish-refugees-migrant
The article has changed 30 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Next version
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
Calais refugee camp: first bus leaves as police prepare for demolition – live | Calais refugee camp: first bus leaves as police prepare for demolition – live |
(35 minutes later) | |
8.41am BST | |
08:41 | |
First coach is headed for Burgundy | |
The first coach load of Calais camp evacuees left at about 8.45am (6.45am GMT), taking around 50 Sudanese to the Burgundy region of east central France, Agence France-Presse reports. | |
Abbas, 25, from Sudan, who was bundled up in a woolly hat and coat against the cold, told the agency: “I feel very happy, I’ve had enough of the Jungle. There are a lot of people who don’t want to leave. There might be problems later. That’s why I came out first.” | |
Bashir, 25, also from Sudan, began queueing at 4:00 am (0200 GMT), four hours before the hangar serving as a bus station opened. “Anywhere in France would be better than the Jungle”, he said. | |
However, hours before the evacuation began some migrants were still clinging to hopes of a new life across the Channel. Karhazi, a young Afghan, one of many of camp residents with contacts in Britain, said: “They’ll have to force us to leave. We want to go to Britain.” | |
A Syrian man named Sam who spent 13 months in the Jungle told AFP he had fled the camp at the weekend to another site about 12 kilometres (seven miles) away where he said “dozens” of migrants were hiding out to avoid being moved. | |
French authorities have said those who agree to be moved can apply for asylum in France. | |
8.35am BST | |
08:35 | |
Calais camp will return, says charity boss | |
Camps housing migrants around Calais are likely to re-emerge, despite today’s demolition of the structures currently in place, the British founder of a Calais refugee crisis charity has told the Press Association. | |
Clare Moseley, founder of Care4Calais, who has drawn parallels between the treatment of migrants in France with that of persecuted Jews in Nazi Germany, said: | |
I think people will still come. With refugees, deterrents don’t matter because a refugee by definition is fleeing something. In February, they demolished over half of the camp and yet here we, are seven months later, with a camp bigger than it’s ever been. | |
[Migrants] don’t have a lot of options or a lot of information. A lot of them are just kids. Even those who are 19, 20, 21 years old, they are still very young. | |
We’ve a lot from Afghanistan, which is fragmented and is a society that has completely broken down. The people from there don’t trust anybody and the children have behavioural problems because they are so accustomed to violence and to losing family and friends. | |
They are not coming here because they have a choice, they are coming here because they have no choice. A lot of the kids in particular don’t know what to do. When you ask them, they look at you blankly. | |
8.26am BST | |
08:26 | |
8.05am BST | 8.05am BST |
08:05 | 08:05 |
Here’s another shot of that first bus leaving the camp. | Here’s another shot of that first bus leaving the camp. |
Premiers départs de la #Jungle de #Calais pour les migrants mineurs pic.twitter.com/uqQkN3qN2l | Premiers départs de la #Jungle de #Calais pour les migrants mineurs pic.twitter.com/uqQkN3qN2l |
7.57am BST | 7.57am BST |
07:57 | 07:57 |
Angelique Chrisafis | Angelique Chrisafis |
Angelique Chrisafis has spoken to a Sudanese refugee who has spent three months living rough in Calais but now hopes to claim asylum in France and start a new life in the country. | Angelique Chrisafis has spoken to a Sudanese refugee who has spent three months living rough in Calais but now hopes to claim asylum in France and start a new life in the country. |
Yusef, 35, a pharmacist who had fled violence in Sudan, was dragging a donated suitcase of blankets to join hundreds queuing in the cold to be bussed to reception centres across France. Once inside the French hangar, he would be shown a map of France, given a choice of two places and put on a bus. | Yusef, 35, a pharmacist who had fled violence in Sudan, was dragging a donated suitcase of blankets to join hundreds queuing in the cold to be bussed to reception centres across France. Once inside the French hangar, he would be shown a map of France, given a choice of two places and put on a bus. |
“I have no idea where I’ll go. I will close my eyes and put my finger on the map,’ he said. But he was optimistic. “I want to integrate, start a new life, contribute. I trust France to keep me safe. People misunderstand us. We don’t have economic problems, we’re fleeing violence and dictatorship.” | “I have no idea where I’ll go. I will close my eyes and put my finger on the map,’ he said. But he was optimistic. “I want to integrate, start a new life, contribute. I trust France to keep me safe. People misunderstand us. We don’t have economic problems, we’re fleeing violence and dictatorship.” |
Yusef wanted to apply for asylum in France and start learning French straight away. “All I know about France is that they make good perfume and that Paris is called the city of love. Now I’m beginning a journey of love.” | Yusef wanted to apply for asylum in France and start learning French straight away. “All I know about France is that they make good perfume and that Paris is called the city of love. Now I’m beginning a journey of love.” |
He said three months living in the Calais camp had been “tough and miserable”. He added: “Now we’ve got to start feeling hope.” | He said three months living in the Calais camp had been “tough and miserable”. He added: “Now we’ve got to start feeling hope.” |
Once he had thought he would make it to England. “But that dream died here,” he said. “That bridge is closed.” | Once he had thought he would make it to England. “But that dream died here,” he said. “That bridge is closed.” |
7.50am BST | 7.50am BST |
07:50 | 07:50 |
First bus leaves the camp | First bus leaves the camp |
Chrisje Sterk, a Dutch journalist, has posted this footage that she says shows the first of the buses leaving the camp to ferry migrants to new locations in France. | Chrisje Sterk, a Dutch journalist, has posted this footage that she says shows the first of the buses leaving the camp to ferry migrants to new locations in France. |
De eerste bus is vertrokken #calais #calaisjungle pic.twitter.com/Kj08ZoEoEU | De eerste bus is vertrokken #calais #calaisjungle pic.twitter.com/Kj08ZoEoEU |
Updated | Updated |
at 7.51am BST | at 7.51am BST |
7.46am BST | 7.46am BST |
07:46 | 07:46 |
“I just want my mum” | “I just want my mum” |
Angelique Chrisafis | Angelique Chrisafis |
One young resident of the camp, Aaron, 16, said he was afraid that crossing the Channel was his best hope of finding his mother. The pair had fled Eritrea months earlier but had been split from her as they trekked through the desert. | One young resident of the camp, Aaron, 16, said he was afraid that crossing the Channel was his best hope of finding his mother. The pair had fled Eritrea months earlier but had been split from her as they trekked through the desert. |
Aaron had gone on alone to Libya and then to Italy by boat, knowing only that his mother hoped to get them both to England. He told Guardian Paris correspondent Angelique Chrisafis: | Aaron had gone on alone to Libya and then to Italy by boat, knowing only that his mother hoped to get them both to England. He told Guardian Paris correspondent Angelique Chrisafis: |
I have to get to England. That’s where my mother was going and it’s my only hope of finding her. At night I have such bad nightmares. I just want to find my mum. | I have to get to England. That’s where my mother was going and it’s my only hope of finding her. At night I have such bad nightmares. I just want to find my mum. |
Updated | Updated |
at 7.51am BST | at 7.51am BST |
7.24am BST | 7.24am BST |
07:24 | 07:24 |
By all accounts the camp remains calm and orderly this morning. No sign of riot police or any demolitions yet. People are queuing patiently. | By all accounts the camp remains calm and orderly this morning. No sign of riot police or any demolitions yet. People are queuing patiently. |
Migrants waiting to get into the hangar. pic.twitter.com/cJFufpjzb4 | Migrants waiting to get into the hangar. pic.twitter.com/cJFufpjzb4 |
Calais this morning pic.twitter.com/bIa102nEun | Calais this morning pic.twitter.com/bIa102nEun |
Very calm in Calais as hundreds of migrants volunteer to leave. Sudanese and Eritrean mostly in queue for processing center so far | Very calm in Calais as hundreds of migrants volunteer to leave. Sudanese and Eritrean mostly in queue for processing center so far |
Updated | Updated |
at 7.31am BST | at 7.31am BST |
7.18am BST | 7.18am BST |
07:18 | 07:18 |
A line of buses outside the camp. | A line of buses outside the camp. |
La fila di autobus pronti a caricare i migranti #Calais pic.twitter.com/zrV8G702FD | La fila di autobus pronti a caricare i migranti #Calais pic.twitter.com/zrV8G702FD |
7.12am BST | 7.12am BST |
07:12 | 07:12 |
Here’s another reporter hammering home the fact that there do seem to be an awful lot of media at the camp. | Here’s another reporter hammering home the fact that there do seem to be an awful lot of media at the camp. |
Presumably the next big headache for Calais authorities is evacuating the 10,000 journalists pic.twitter.com/QnxnP1jFPO | Presumably the next big headache for Calais authorities is evacuating the 10,000 journalists pic.twitter.com/QnxnP1jFPO |
7.08am BST | 7.08am BST |
07:08 | 07:08 |
7.06am BST | 7.06am BST |
07:06 | 07:06 |
Lisa O'Carroll | Lisa O'Carroll |
Mohamed, 23, from Eritrea is very happy to leave the camp. As he walks up to queue at processsing center he tells me: “The camp is dirty and dangerous”. He has been here for three months and has tried to get asylum in France before, he says. “My fingerprints were taken in Italy and where ever you go in Europe after that they say you have to go back to the Italy under the Dublin regulation,” he says. “Now they say for the first time the fingerprints don’t matter and we can start applying for asylum again. I am happy, “ he says. He has been told the buses will go all over France including Marseilles, Lyons and Paris. | Mohamed, 23, from Eritrea is very happy to leave the camp. As he walks up to queue at processsing center he tells me: “The camp is dirty and dangerous”. He has been here for three months and has tried to get asylum in France before, he says. “My fingerprints were taken in Italy and where ever you go in Europe after that they say you have to go back to the Italy under the Dublin regulation,” he says. “Now they say for the first time the fingerprints don’t matter and we can start applying for asylum again. I am happy, “ he says. He has been told the buses will go all over France including Marseilles, Lyons and Paris. |