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Calais migrants: 'we have to keep trying because this is no place to stay' Calais migrants: 'we have to keep trying because this is no place to stay'
(35 minutes later)
Sitting on a piece of scrubland at the edge of Calais’s “New Jungle”, Teddy, from Eritrea, watched as groups of young men tried to outwit French police guarding the motorway above the makeshift camp.Sitting on a piece of scrubland at the edge of Calais’s “New Jungle”, Teddy, from Eritrea, watched as groups of young men tried to outwit French police guarding the motorway above the makeshift camp.
“I am too tired to try now,” the 20-year-old said quietly. “I got on three lorries last night but was dragged off each time by the police. It is over for me today.” “I am too tired to try now,” the 20-year-old said quietly. “I got on three lorries last night but was dragged off each time by the police. It is over for me today.” But Teddy, who says he was forced to leave his homeland after his father was killed by the Eritrean regime two years ago, smiled as he revealed he had had some good news today.
But Teddy, who says he was forced to leave his homeland after his father was killed by the Eritrean regime two years ago, smiled as he revealed he had had some good news today. “My friend with me last night just called and he is in the UK.” He held up his battered mobile phone. “He held on to the underneath of a lorry. It was very dangerous, but he has called and he is there now and safe.” Teddy and his friend were among hundreds of migrants, many of whom have fled war and persecution in the Middle East and east Africa – who tried to take advantage of 24 hours of chaos in Calais caused by striking ferry workers.
“My friend with me last night just called and he is in the UK.” He held up his battered mobile phone. “He held on to the underneath of a lorry. It was very dangerous, but he has called and he is there now and safe.” Tuesday’s industrial action closed both the ferry port and the Channel tunnel, causing miles of gridlocked traffic on the motorways around the French port. For many of the growing number of people living in desperate conditions in the camp, the queues of stationary lorries heading to the UK were too good an opportunity to miss.
Teddy and his friend were among hundreds of migrants, many of whom have fled war and persecution in the Middle East and east Africa – who tried to take advantage of 24 hours of chaos in Calais caused by striking ferry workers. Nearby, Riswan is washing his clothes in a bucket at one of the jungle’s two water points. He says he injured his hand last night as he tried to get on the lorries queueing on the motorway. “The police were fighting too much. I have crossed borders in Greece, Holland, Belgium but there they talk, here they fight.”
Tuesday’s industrial action closed both the ferry port and the Channel tunnel, causing miles of gridlocked traffic on the motorways around the French port. He said many people were hurt as hundreds of migrants clashed with the police trying to stop them getting onto the lorries. “So many people, girls with babies … One boy was badly injured in his chest when a wheel went over him... there was lots of blood.”
For many of the growing number of people living in desperate conditions in the camp, the queues of stationary lorries heading to the UK were too good an opportunity to miss.
“Many, many people tried last night,” said Teddy. “I got on to the back of three lorries but each time I was dragged out and hit and sprayed by the police.” He pulled up his trouser leg to show a bruise. “Others got much worse,” he added.
Nearby, an Afghan man held out an injured hand and said a police dog bit him as he tried to get on a lorry on Tuesday night. “Are there any doctors?” he asked. “Many people have been hurt but what else to do? We have to keep trying because this is no place to stay.”Nearby, an Afghan man held out an injured hand and said a police dog bit him as he tried to get on a lorry on Tuesday night. “Are there any doctors?” he asked. “Many people have been hurt but what else to do? We have to keep trying because this is no place to stay.”
The situation has drawn condemnation from politicians on both sides of the Channel. The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, told French radio that Britain had “not offered a penny” to help, and urged it to do more to ease the pressure caused by the increasing numbers of people arriving in the camp each week.The situation has drawn condemnation from politicians on both sides of the Channel. The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, told French radio that Britain had “not offered a penny” to help, and urged it to do more to ease the pressure caused by the increasing numbers of people arriving in the camp each week.
In the UK, David Cameron called for an end to the finger-pointing over which government was to blame and describing the scenes in Calais as “totally unacceptable”. Related: Children suffer worsening conditions in Calais's dismal Jungle 2 migrant camp
In the UK, David Cameron called for an end to the finger-pointing over which government was to blame and described the scenes in Calais as “totally unacceptable”.
He said: “There is no point in either side trying to point the finger of blame at each other. This is a strong partnership that we have in place and we should keep it that way.” Cameron said more resources would be available to assist the French in the months ahead.He said: “There is no point in either side trying to point the finger of blame at each other. This is a strong partnership that we have in place and we should keep it that way.” Cameron said more resources would be available to assist the French in the months ahead.
The home secretary, Theresa May, said British and French authorities had prevented “significant numbers” of migrants in Calais from getting on to lorries and entering the UK in the last two days, and the government had put in place “tried and tested” contingency plans.The home secretary, Theresa May, said British and French authorities had prevented “significant numbers” of migrants in Calais from getting on to lorries and entering the UK in the last two days, and the government had put in place “tried and tested” contingency plans.
But on Wednesday morning as scores of migrants openly made their way between queueing lorries forcing doors and cutting cables, it appeared the authorities were not in control. But on Wednesday morning as scores of migrants openly made their way between queueing lorries forcing doors and cutting cables, it appeared the authorities were not in control. Many told the Guardian they wanted to get to the UK because they thought they would be safe and that they would be treated more fairly there than in France.
Many migrants told the Guardian they wanted to get to the UK because they thought they would be safe and that they would be treated more fairly there than in France.
One group of men and boys – some as young as 15 – were chased away by a driver as they tried to break into his lorry in a queue for the Channel tunnel. “This is terrible, worse than it’s ever been,” said the driver, from Poland, as the queue inched forward. “It has been like this all night, it has been very difficult.”One group of men and boys – some as young as 15 – were chased away by a driver as they tried to break into his lorry in a queue for the Channel tunnel. “This is terrible, worse than it’s ever been,” said the driver, from Poland, as the queue inched forward. “It has been like this all night, it has been very difficult.”
Another migrant managed to break the cord on the back of a nearby lorry and was trying to clamber on board before he was confronted by the French driver. Related: Desperate migrant scenes at Calais will need hard heads to find fair solutions
Nearby, a 17-year-old Eritrean man sitting by the side of the motorway said he and his friends had been up all night trying to get into lorries bound for the UK. “Many people have been trying but it is very difficult. We are very tired now.” Another migrant managed to break the cord on the back of a nearby lorry and was trying to clamber on board before he was confronted by the French driver. At the New Jungle there were ongoing skirmishes between the police and migrants throughout the day. Each time a queue of lorries formed on the motorway above the camp, people abandoned what they were doing – washing, sleeping, eating – and scrambled up the bank to try to get past the police.
At the New Jungle there were ongoing skirmishes between the police and migrants throughout the day. Each time a queue of lorries formed on the motorway above the camp, people abandoned what they were doing – washing, sleeping, eating – and scrambled up the bank to try to get past the police. At one point officers drew their batons and hit out a group of men before spraying them with pepper spray. Watching the men back away clutching their eyes, Teddy was unmoved.
At one point officers drew their batons and hit out a group of men before spraying them with pepper spray. He said he had left Eritrea with his girlfriend two years ago, and survived being trafficked across the Sahara and a “terrible year” in a Libyan prison. “My girlfriend is still there I think,” he said. “This is not good but compared to what I have seen it is OK. I will keep trying.”
Watching the men back away clutching their eyes, Teddy was unmoved. He said he had left Eritrea with his girlfriend two years ago, and survived being trafficked across the Sahara and a “terrible year” in a Libyan prison.
“My girlfriend is still there I think,” he said. “This is not good but compared to what I have seen it is OK. I will keep trying.”