French Police clashes with migrants yet again

Monday, 3 October, 2016 - 13:30

 French police fired tear gas and water cannon at migrants and protesters who gathered in defiance of a ban outside the shanty town near Calais known as "the Jungle", local authorities stated.

About 200 migrants and some 50 protesters assembled under a bridge to protest against living conditions in the nearby camp that President Francois Hollande has vowed to close by the end of the year.

Police clashed with migrants as they pushed them back to the camp while migrants threw stones at the security forces, slightly injuring three officers. Resorting to tear gas and water cannon, police brought the situation under control in 20 minutes, said Etienne Desplanques, an official of the Pas-de-Calais region.

Between 7,000 and 10,000 migrants are currently living in the "Jungle".