The southern half of the “Jungle” migrant camp in Calais, northern France, will be demolished tomorrow (24 Feb.), as French authorities seek to move migrants into converted shipping containers outside the camp or refugee centres across the country.
It will affect between 1,000 and 3,000 people; thousands of migrants currently dwell in squalid conditions in camps in northern France, including that of Grande-Synthe, where Christian migrants have been attacked by other migrants.
There have been conflicting reports over what will happen to the remaining makeshift places of worship in the camp. Others there have already been demolished, and the so-called St. Michael’s Church is still standing but in the area due to be demolished.
More than 140 UK celebrities, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Jude Law, have added their signatures to a petition signed by over 110,000 others, asking the UK Prime Minister “to protect the children of Calais”. They said they are particularly concerned about the more than 400 unaccompanied minors in the camp, for whom no special provisions have been made. A newly built school in the camp is also in the area due to be demolished.
Source: BBC