Calais Migrant Camp on Fire as France Reels from Paris Terror Attacks
IN FOCUS, 16 Nov 2015
A video shows emergency service vehicles arriving at the camp, which houses around 6,000 migrants – mainly young men from Syria and North Africa.
Calais refugee camp on fire
14 Nov 2015 – Fire broke out in the ‘Jungle’ refugee camp near Calais last night – just hours after the terror attacks in Paris.
At around 11pm volunteers helping migrants and refugees living in the northern French port shared pictures and video on social media.
One aid worker told Mirror Online that around 40 shelters were destroyed when an ‘absolutely massive’ fire broke out in a Sudanese area.
One video shows emergency service vehicles arriving at the camp, which houses around 6,000 migrants – mainly young men from Syria and North Africa.
Sources inside #CalaisJungle confirm there was a fire, around 40 shelters burned down thought to be in Sudanese area. Cause unknown.
— Sharron Ward (@SharronWardTV) November 14, 2015
Last night a local anti-migrant group known as ‘The Angry of Calais’ also posted videos of the inferno on Facebook.
That sparked speculation the blaze could be connected to events in Paris – but it is still unclear what caused the fire or whether it was a ‘revenge’ attack.
And on social media, people pointed out that any anger with refugees and migrants in the ‘Jungle’ would be misplaced as they are fleeing ISIS killers.
https://twitter.com/RFCdan/status/665302723592519680?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
The drama in Calais came after a series of clashes with riot police during the week – resulting in 27 officers suffering minor injuries.
Tensions have risen in Calais since the imposition of tough new security measures, including 15ft-tall, razor-topped fences and increased police patrols.
Campaign group No Borders claimed that anger was stoked further when far-right demonstrators burned a Qu’ran in Calais last weekend.
A statement said: “The authorities allowed the far right to hold a demonstration last Sunday, inciting racial hatred, making death threats, and burning a Qu’aran in the middle of boulevard Jacquard (Calais’ main street).
“In the evening 5 nazis wearing hoods went to attack migants near the Eurotunnel. These events made many people in the jungle understandably very angry and we suspect that this was linked to the reasons for the riot.”
Calais mayor Nathacha Bouchart recently blamed Britain’s ‘black market economy’ and ‘cushy benefits system’ for the thousands of migrants camped in her town.
She said: “They want to go to England because they can expect better conditions on arrival there than anywhere else in Europe or even internationally.
“There are no ID cards. They can easily find work outside the formal economy, which is not really controlled.
“Calais is a hostage to the British. The migrants come here to get to Britain.
“The situation here is barely manageable. The UK border should be moved from Calais to the English side of the Channel because we’re not here to do their jobs.”
@CazTravels @BBCBreaking Yes, BBC, there is a fire in the Calais jungle. Hot on my face. Sudanese section decimated pic.twitter.com/garKGRiMCR
— Caroline Gregory (@CazTravels) November 14, 2015
The numbers of migrants and refugees at the camp have risen in Calais as part of a wider movement in from Europe from crisis-hit countries in north Africa and the Middle East.
At least 15 migrants have died in or near the Channel Tunnel since the start of the cross-Channel migrant crisis at the beginning of the summer.
British hauliers fear someone will be killed amid escalating unrest in Calais as migrants grow frustrated at their inability to reach the UK.
British lorry drivers have been caught up in the unrest and violence, with one haulage boss saying Calais has descended into lawlessness.
Toby Ovens, director of Broughton Transport Solutions, said: “I have no doubt that soon someone will get killed.
“Calais is a lawless place. The police in Calais were just watching immigrants attack vehicles.”
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