French Police continue to clear “jungle” migrant camp

(NECN/APTV: CALAIS, France) – French police on Tuesday began clearing out a sprawling forest camp known as the “jungle” – home to hundreds of illegal migrants trying to reach Britain across the Channel. There were scenes of anger and upset as riot police arrived at the site in the northern coastal town of Calais and began moving in on the camp and its inhabitants. The migrants, some of them young boys, cried and cradled their heads as police escorted them out of the makeshift home. France’s immigration minister pledged earlier this year to clear out the camp, viewing it as a public-health nightmare and a haven for human traffickers. It was also a point of contention with Britain, which wanted the border better sealed. As many as one thousand people at a time called the “jungle” their home. However, their numbers dwindled after the announcement that the camp would be cleared and the minister himself suggested that about 250 migrants remained before the clear-out operation began. Most of those living at the “jungle” were Afghan men and boys, some as young as 14, who often made costly and dangerous clandestine journeys to reach Europe. The migrants try to elude the elaborate border security network, including heat sensors and infrared cameras, at the port of Calais or the Channel tunnel that carries the Eurostar trains and other undersea traffic. Nearly a decade ago, many thousands made it across by hopping a ride to Britain.