Displaced person living in Grande-Synthe
Reported on 13.11.2020
“It's not right, but they don't listen. They say they have this court document, I don't know what it means. They cut down all the tents and they take us away... and some policemen say racist things, they do bad things with us. At the moment, they're sending us to the hotel, but I don't like the hotel.”
Displaced person living in Calais
Reported on 11.11.2020
“We are in a dangerous situation. But we are not dangerous.”
Displaced person living in Calais
Reported on 11.11.2020
“The police don't want to leave us alone in the jungle. If they won't let us into the jungle, where can we go? We are refugees. The police don't respect refugees. We are humans, not animals. They think we are animals because we are refugees. We respect everyone because our parents taught us respect.”
Displaced person living in Calais
Reported on 11.11.2020
“A week ago, my friends and I were next to the playground around 8am, the police came and told us to leave and never come back. Because of this, we had trouble sleeping, we couldn't find a safe and quiet place to sleep.”
(translated from Arabic)
Afghan man living in Calais
Reported on 11.11.2020
“I am from Afghanistan and have been living in the jungle in Calais for six months. People's behaviour towards refugees in France is positive and I am grateful to them, but I have a problem with the police. The French police have aggressive behaviour. In winter, it is cold, but they continue to harass and evict people. What we expect from the government is to put an end to this police behaviour so that people can have peace.”
We thought if we came here we'd be safe
Reported on 11.11.2020
“I am Chadian. I have been given permission to say what I want to say regarding the situation here, people like us.
I am an asylum seeker because there is a situation that made me leave my home. We arrived here in France, but we were not allowed to live here in France, so everything is complicated; you sleep in the street. We lack a lot of things but we have no choice.
They informed us that we have to leave the territory, otherwise we are sent home. if we hadn't had a problem, we wouldn't be here. If we came here - we asked the government for help - it's because we really need help. That's why we're here. If you want to send us home, that is to say, you who want to kill us. It's not our government, not our family, because we ran away from death.
We came here... We thought if we came here we'd be safe, but it’s actually quite the opposite. So if there is something that you can help us with - all we ask for is help. We live as human beings too: we need freedom and to live as everyone else.”
Tear gas used in Calais
Reported on 20.09.2020
“On several occasions during the last few weeks, riot policemen were taking a small isolated road next to the place where people in displacement were living; they sprayed tear gas on people who were walking, through the window of their vehicle without explanation or provocation.”
We can't find peace in Europe
Reported on 31.08.2020
“We’re in Europe, facing a difficult life. All of this, to live in dignity. But we can find peace in Europe. We risk our lives to reach Europe, because our country is under conflict and war. We couldn't find peace in our country as well, that is why we emigrated to Europe.
"We thought: maybe could we find peace in Europe? But we didn’t see any of this! We’re facing the biggest war in Europe, racism, fascism, our country is at war, and Europe is at fascist war. We’ve never thought that one day we’d arrive in Europe and face that situation. We are immigrants, we live in France, in Calais region, France didn’t accept us, that is why we try to get into England. All of this for a better future. I wish and hope you can help me in this situation.”
Police chase in Grande-Synthe
Reported on 30.07.2020
“On the night of July 30, I was chased by the police with several friends along a road. While running away, I fell on a fence that seriously injured my face (several stitches). Out of fear, I stayed hidden in the ditch for a long time. I saw one of my friends being caught and taken away by the police.”
Police violence against two people living in Grande Synthe
Reported on: 19.07.2020
“[On 11 July at 2am] My friend and I were brutalised by the police. I had a broken tooth. They also unleashed their dogs, whom attacked us without a muzzle.”