French Police Dismantle a Migrant Camp in Calais

French law enforcement officials on Tuesday dismantled a camp in Calais where hundreds of migrants were waiting to cross the English Channel and enter the United Kingdom.

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The Prefecture of Calais reported that over 800 people were evacuated in 30 buses to reception centers in different parts of France. Among them were 14 women and 8 minors who were transferred to social rehabilitation accommodation centers.

Another 34 immigrants, who were in an irregular situation, were detained and held to be subject to deportation proceedings.

The camp had about 500 tents that were set up near the access highway to the port of Calais. This dismantling comes two months after another similar eviction in the Dunes, which is next to an industrial area where several migrant camps have been installed in recent years.

On Sept. 26, some 250 activists from migrant associations from the Horn of Africa held demonstrations to protest against the prefectural ban on food distribution to them.

Human rights defender Claire Hedon also denounced the "degrading and inhuman" living conditions of migrants in Calais.

On Sept. 10, the authorities ordered that organizations not recognized by the French State refrain from distributing food to residents in the camps. They alleged that these humanitarian actions "disturbed" public order and did not comply with social distancing measures.