Dismantling of Calais migrant camp underway

The dismantling of the migrant camp in the French city of Calais started today with a major operation, involving 1,250 policemen, according to information released by the prefecture of the department.

Authorities in Calais confirmed this morning that they would begin evacuating the camp, where more than 6,000 undocumented immigrants have been housed.

The immigrants will be transferred to more than 400 shelters throughout the country and 60 buses will be used to transport them on Monday, 45 buses on Tuesday and 40 on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, French courts upheld the dismantling of the camp, rejecting an appeal against the operation, which had been presented by 11 civil society organizations.

One of the main concerns is the fate of the more than one thousand unaccompanied children.

According to the court, ‘the beginning of the dismantling of the Calais site itself does not ignore the principle of prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment. On the contrary, the plan aims to end such behavior.’

The Calais camp had recently became the focus of the immigration crisis in France and Europe, as thousands of migrants trying to reach the UK through the Eurotunnel were sheltered there.

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