Protest at the French consulate in London against the police raid of the Kronstadt Hangar, a social space for migrants and activists, in Calais.

At 10am today, the No Borders Network officially reopened the Kronstadt Hangar in Calais to the migrant population. This follows the first public opening on Saturday 6th February, and the subsequent violent police eviction the following day .

NON A L’EVACUATION POLICIERE DU HANGAR ASSOCIATIF

*LOUE POUR LES REFUGIES !*

*Sarkozy/Hortefeux/Besson n’ont jamais dormi sous des températures d’hiver, ça se voit, ils viennenet de faire intervenir la police contre un local associatif loué pour mettre à l’abri les réfugiés Afghans, Somaliens, Irakiens, etc, de cet hiver particulièrement dur.*

*Après le « nettoyage de la jungle» de Calais suite au démantèlement de Sangatte, voilà la charge policière pour déloger, en piétinant sans honte la trêve hivernale, les centaines de réfugiés fuyant les guerres dans lesquelles sont engagées les soldats français.*

Calais Migrant Solidarity
Press Release: Immediate Release
Tel: +447531647480
Email: calaisolidarity@gmail.com

MIGRANT CENTRE EVICTED BY FRENCH RIOT POLICE IN CALAIS

Under instruction from the town authorities, the elite French CRS riot police today forcibly evicted the new Calais migrant centre - called Kronstadt Hangar - by smashing down the front doors, less than 24 hours after migrants and No Borders activists pushed through police lines to occupy the building, which has been legally rented by No Borders [1] and SoS Soutien aux Sans Papiers. [2]

Marie Chautemps said: "The Kronstadt Hangar was opened as a
direct intervention into a winter of repression that the migrants in
Calais have faced since their 'jungle' communities were destroyed in a cruel PR stunt, back in September."

SoS Soutien aux Sans Papiers "cette nouvelle jungle " de
Besson : du "tout permis" et violences d'Etat

Expulsion , et violences intolérables dans le hangar Cronsdat de CALAIS. BESSON s'agite à nouveau . Il détourne ainsi le vrai débat de fond, pourquoi ces exils forcés? Pourquoi cette violence envers des exilés obligés de fuir guerres, violences et misère.

Les conflits de l'occident obligent ces véritables " dégâts collatéraux" à rejoindre nos pays. Ce n'est pas par la violence et l'expulsion du hangar , ni en rasant leur campement , que Besson posera les vraies questions , mais il devra en répondre. Son discours mensonger et populiste ne trompe personne.

update 7th february 5pm: french police has raided the Kronstadt Hangar, breaking the doors.

from calais migrant solidarity: About 12.30 French time today everyone was in the No Borders/Kronstadt warehouse, chilling out, when police came to surround the building. People were told they can leave the building, but couldn’t return for lunch. Police say this is an ‘Order from the council’.

The response from the 100 or so people in the building was ‘fine, then we won’t leave’. A phone call to someone in the building described the situation as “everyone seemed to understand our political stance. Eventually some people tried to leave, and discovered that all the surrounding roads had been blocked by police. Then riots cops charged us several times, hitting out with batons. A friend got whacked on the mouth while lying on the floor – we managed to find a way out and are on our way to hospital now. One of the undercover cops, calling himself Msr Buzin, said that anyone can leave, but can’t return for to eat. They are effectively starving people out of the building”

( Press Release by Calais Migrant Solidarity ) Today, despite a heavy police presence migrants successfully entered the newly-opened Kronstadt hangar at the invitation of NoBorders activists. The hangar is intended to be a space for information-sharing, debate and practical solidarity.

Together, around 100 activists and migrants broke through police lines chanting “Freedom! Freedom!”. Riot police in full body protection are currently circling the building and threatening the migrants with mass arrests. People are currently occupying the building.