Five migrants suffered gunshot wounds after fierce clashes erupted Thursday afternoon. Arguments between Eritrean and Afghan migrants at a food distribution point spiraled into violence after an Afghan man fired shots, seriously injuring some African migrants.
The showdown between the two groups continued in several other locations in and around the city. A total of 22 migrants suffered stab wounds and other injuries during the fracas.
Interior minister Gerard Collomb travelled to Calais in the wake of the violent flare-up and conceded that the situation has become “intolerable for the people of Calais and migrants.” The immigrant problem in Calais has persisted despite the infamous “Jungle” refugee camp being dismantled in 2016.
Calais residents told RT that migrant-related violence has become a common occurrence, disrupting their way of life and forcing them to be on guard all the time. “There is a lot of delinquency here. Vehicles get damaged. Every day we have issues. Young girls can’t go out alone at night,” a local man said.
Another resident described the current situation as “a catastrophe for the French, especially for the people of Calais.”
“The violence is really damaging. Residents of Calais have lived in fear for several years now,” she said.
After the “Jungle” was demolished, about 6,000 migrants were transferred to shelters across France. The move did not solve the problem, however. It’s estimated that up to 800 migrants are still living in Calais, setting up makeshift camps with hopes to cross over the English Channel into Britain.
The latest outbreak of violence in Calais comes two weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron secured a deal with British PM Theresa May to bolster border controls between France and Britain. Macron reiterated Paris’ zero tolerance attitude towards illegal migrants, but promised to open new reception centers and to handle the situation in a “humane and efficient manner.”