The University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne closed off access to several of its buildings on campus ‘until further notice’ due to migrants camping on the site, Monday.
Several families from all over the world, including children, are staying in tents near the Croix Rouge campus.
Philippe Cuisset, Professor at Reims University (French): “I am protesting for the migrants who are threatened to be deported. So we are now on Reims’ Croix Rouge University’s campus to try to influence the authorities so they rehouse these families who are in the cold, in need of everything for months. Families from everywhere: Armenian, Angolan, Albanian, Ethiopian, Chechens, et cetera.”
Philippe Cuisset, Professor at Reims University (French): “The refugees chose this place themselves as we thought the expulsion would probably happen this morning. So we presented the different options and the first reason they decided to come here is that is close to the CADA, the asylum seeker centre. Then we thought that they would finally have access to toilets and water as they are living without this minimum of hygiene for months. Unfortunately, the University’s director decided to close the faculty to the students and all the premises.”