Hundreds of French police officers moved in at dawn to clear what is described as Paris’ largest migrant camp.
Hundreds of French police officers moved in at dawn to clear what is described as Paris’ largest migrant camp.
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Thousands of people have been camping out in tents under a bridge in the northeast of the capital, near Stalingrad metro station.
Numbers have soared since the closure of the so-called “Jungle” camp outside the port of Calais, on the northern French coast.
Officials say the migrants – many from warn-torn countries such as Afghanistan and Sudan – are being transferred to holding centres across the Paris area, where asylum requests will be processed.
The police operation is said to have got off to a smooth start.
Police start evacuating Paris migrant camp on heels of Calais closure https://t.co/p3gxfzeMkS pic.twitter.com/egV6nVSKhL
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) 4 November 2016
Paris is investing millions of euros into temporary facilities for migrants. But many may well not want to stay in the French capital, with some having set their sights on reaching the shores of Britain.
Ahead of evacuation of Paris' migrant camp, police move into area checking ids. NGOs say100s more have arrived since #CalaisJungle closure pic.twitter.com/JtiY0VLgsq
— Catherine Field (@CatherineField) 31 October 2016