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§ French Interior Minister Gérard Collomb
described the level of violence in Calais as "unprecedented." He
attributed the fighting to an escalating turf war between Afghan and Kurdish
gangs seeking to gain control over human trafficking between Calais and
Britain, which many migrants view as "El Dorado" because of its
massive underground economy.
§ During his visit to Calais, Macron outlined his
government's new immigration policy: food and shelter for those entitled to
remain in France, and deportation of those in the country illegally.
§ "Emmanuel Macron did it. Never before has a
president of the Republic fallen into unpopularity so fast and then become
popular again." — Paris Match.
Hundreds of Africans and Asians armed with knives and iron rods
fought running street battles in the northern port city of Calais on February
1, less than two weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron visited the area
and pledged to crack down on illegal immigration.
The clashes plunged Calais — emblematic of Europe's failure to
control mass migration — into a war zone and reinforced the perception that
French authorities have lost control of the country's security situation.
The mass brawls, fought in at least
three different parts of Calais, erupted after a 37-year-old Afghan migrant
running a human trafficking operation fired gunshots at a group of Africans who
did not have money to pay for his services. Five Africans suffered
life-threatening injuries.
Within an hour, hundreds of Eritreans, Ethiopians and Sudanese
took to the streets of Calais and attacked any Afghans they could find. More
than a thousand police officers using batons and tear gas were deployed to
restore order. Two dozen migrants were hospitalized.
French Interior Minister Gérard Collomb described the level
of violence in Calais as "unprecedented." He attributed the fighting
to an escalating turf war between Afghan and Kurdish gangs seeking to gain
control over human trafficking between Calais and Britain, which many migrants
view as "El Dorado" because of its
massive underground economy. Each day around 40 ferries depart Calais for
Britain.
(Read more at website link
above)