Calais Jungle migrant camp to be bulldozed today as refugees vow to resist eviction and get to Britain ‘at all costs’
People smugglers are now charging up to £10,000 to get across the Channel
THOUSANDS of migrants today pledged to resist the demolition of the Calais Jungle, saying they will get to Britain ‘at all costs’.
It came as French immigration chiefs said the mass operation to get asylum seekers out of the port town had led to an explosion in the price of a passage to England.
People smugglers are now charging ‘clients’ from sub-Saharan Africa £3500 to get across the Channel, and £10,000 to Syrians.
Jaoued Belmir, head of France’s Officer of Immigration and Integration, said it was leading to a situation where ‘most of them do not have the means to pay the smugglers.’
Mr Belmier said: "Because the border with England has been sealed gradually, prices have risen."
Now, a zero tolerance approach to Calais migrants was coming into place.
Despite this, the French authorities and local charities agreed that some 2000 inhabitants of the Jungle were expected to "fight back" against its destruction.
A demolition team is due to begin dismantling the squalid settlement on Tuesday, as bulldozers prepare to be brought in later this week.
But Christian Salome, head of the Migrant Shelter charity, said: "They do not want to leave," and will continue with their "dream of England".
Some 2000 mainly Sudanese and Eritrean migrants have so far left the camp for other part of France, but at least 5000 remain.
A further 85 buses are expected to arrive today and tomorrow, with officials saying the entire operation will last at least a week.
Mr Salome said: "Right now the operation is going well because they are people who were looking forward leaving.
‘But we’re more worried about the end of the week, when there will be people who do not want to go, and who continue to want to get to England."
Pierre Henry, another charity leader, said: "There are a number who will resist. They want to get to Britain at all costs."
After the first day of the clearance operation on Monday, remaining migrants began protesting against French riot police and broke into spontaneous chants of "UK, UK, UK!"
Meanwhile, one migrant claimed even those getting on buses would return to the Jungle unless they were taken to a "good city".
Aarash, a 21-year-old Afghan, told Reuters: "We will see if we can get on a bus today, but we want a good city, like one near Paris. If we can't go there we will come back to the Jungle."
Yesterday 40 buses took 2,300 mainly Sudanese and Eritrean men to resettlement centres across France.
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Fears have already spread that the destruction of the Jungle will only lead to new shantytowns springing up along the French coast.
Two uniformed Metropolitan Police officers have been deployed to Calais where they were seen in the camp with plain clothed French officers brandishing machine guns.
"Demolition starts on Tuesday, and that’s when there could be resistance," said an officer at the scene.
"There are political activists in the area, and they have pledged to support those migrants who want to stay in Calais and continue trying to get into Britain."
There was sporadic fighting overnight on Sunday to Monday, with fires being lit and tear gas being used to quell the disturbances.
Children will be kept in the Jungle’s converted shipping containers while the rest of the Jungle is pulled down.
From Tuesday, heavy demolition equipment will be used to clear the tents and shelters that have been left behind.
A spokesman for the French interior ministry said it "does not want to use force but if there are migrants who refuse to leave, or NGOs who cause trouble, the police might be forced to intervene".
As a spotter helicopter flew overheard today, scores of CRS riot squad vans surrounded the perimeter of the camp.
The vast majority want to get to Britain to claim asylum, and have been trying to get aboard ferries and trains illegally.
This has been going on for more than 20 years, but the French authorities now believe that can clear the Calais area of all camps.
However, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has insisted no children beyond those eligible will be given a home here - in a bid to prevent more unaccompanied minors being transported to the slum.
Sylvie Bermann, France's ambassador to the UK told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme there are 600 minors waiting to be processed in the hope of coming to Britain.
She said: "It's impossible for the French to know if they really have families in the UK. So we gave the list to the UK Government and now they will have to process."
Delivering an urgent statement in the Commons yesterday, Mrs Rudd said: “Through this process it is important we do not encourage more children to head to Calais, risking their lives in the hands of traffickers.
“That’s why we will only consider those present in the camps before the start of clearances of the operation today.”
Political activists from left wing groups including No Borders are in Calais and have pledged to try and stop the destruction of the Jungle.
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