* Tuesday July 2009 (9:20 am) The night passed with activists hanging
around with migrants who were more visibly shaken than usual by the
deportation threats. Activists patrolled other jungles in cars in an
attempt to monitor the police. It has been a night of people arriving
from Netherlands Belgium UK France to show solidarity withy migrants in
Calais. Early in the morning CRS riot police shot tear gas into the Pastun
jungle and beat up and removed five people. Unfortunately this is nothing
new in Calais these days
Some UK and Dutch press arrived. The morning saw Eritrean and Iranian
migrants being stopped and detained on the streets of Calais; again
nothing new. Whether 48 hours detention or deportation for Iranians we
don’t know. The racism of police actions was visible in their removal of
black sans papiers while white activists refusing to show ID were let go
as we watched our friends being taken away
giving us the thumbs up from the windows of the unmarked police van. We
condemn these acts of terror. As the repression continues the links
between migrant activists and resident activists grow..
We are tired and angry at what we see and learn, but for the migrants and
activists dealing with this situation this is a daily test on the nerves.
Maybe this ‘rehearsal’ by the police is to test our limits. But it only
seems to strengthen peoples resolve as more people arrive to support
jungles
Not loads of us but a steady stream to maintain solidarity. Come to Calais!
.
* Monday 20 July 2009 ( evening ) Also this evening there was a mayoral
opening of climate photos in Calais gardens by central railway station and
people asked photographer why no photos of climate refugees. Two people
holding a banner we chased by police presumed arrested. One other person
definitely arrested for taking a photograph, now released