Demolition workers supported by riot police today began smashing up an illegal camp full of UK-bound migrants in Paris. There were scuffles as mainly Afghans and Eritreans tried to save their possessions during the raid, which started soon after 8am. It followed thousands of migrants arriving in the French capital following the razing of the Calais Jungle refugee camp last week.
Crews in hard hats and orange jumpsuits on Tuesday started dismantling a makeshift camp in France that has become a symbol of Europe’s migrant crisis while thousands of people remained there waiting to be relocated. The workers used their gloved hands to tear down flimsy plywood shelters, tarp-covered huts and other temporary buildings at the camp in the port city of Calais known as “the jungle.” Backhoes, construction dumpsters and trucks carted off the debris.
The demolition took place under the watch of police officers as authorities are emptying the camp of an estimated 6,300 people who have been living there, down from a height of 10,000 this summer.
“I’m very sad. It’s our home here, We can’t feel anything, even life.” Ahmed Anwar, 28, of Sudan, said as backhoes tore up the first dwellings. “No one cares about us.” On one hand I feel for the honest, who wish to better themselves, but then I look at what they have brought to Europe, and I see nothing but death and destruction of property and human life. The leadership in Europe have brought this upon themselves, and I feel it will come down to military operations to resolve. What do you think?