In a coastal town in northern France, an ‘urban guerrilla war’ is raging in the once-quiet streets as migrants trying to cross to the UK clash with police.
The residents of Grand-Fort-Philippe, located between Calais and Dunkirk, have lived peacefully for years alongside the men, women and children desperately seeking a new life across the Channel.
But many now fear for their safety as clashes between migrants and police have escalated and they have been moved from beaches about a kilometre away to residential areas. The Telegraph defeated.
The violence, which saw police use tear gas on people throwing rocks, has turned lives upside down and caused much accidental damage to property in the town of about 5,200 people.
Meanwhile, a new camp known as the “Jungle” is said to have sprung up on the outskirts of the city: a vast maze of tents that was demolished in 2016.
A gendarme is seen approaching a group of migrants in the town of Gravelines, near Dunkirk
Makeshift camps have sprung up near Dunkirk as migrants wait for a spot on a boat to cross the Channel
Residents of Grand-Fort-Philippe, located between Calais and Dunkirk, have been living peacefully for years with migrants hoping to cross the Channel
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Photos show the makeshift shelters at the new camp, which is located near the ferry terminal in Dunkirk.
Migrants sleep in tents and even World War II bunkers along the coast as they wait to be given a spot on a rowboat by human traffickers.
Relations between the local population and the migrants are cordial. Many understand their situation and those who remain in the area largely keep a low profile.
However, according to locals, the situation has become even more tense due to the deployment of more police officers after local mayors called for more help.
“There is no problem between us and the migrants,” Yvon Agez, a retired grandfather who has lived his entire life in Grand-Fort-Philippe. “They come by, we exchange a greeting and that’s it.”
But, he said, “Now that the police are preventing them from leaving, it has become a war, a war between police and migrants. If the police would just let them cross, there would be no problem.”
Mr Agez said he had begun accompanying his 12-year-old granddaughter to and from school because he feared she would be involved in possible violence.
Locals fear this is just the beginning, with one saying the migrant crisis will only get worse over the next 20 years.
A large group of migrants receive help from charity workers in northern France
Reports suggest that while French police are present in large numbers on the beaches of northern France, people smugglers are launching their boats in towns such as Grand-Fort-Philippe, near canals and rivers.
On August 13, about 50 migrants were stopped as they tried to board an inflatable boat. Fighting broke out on the beach and spread to the streets of residential areas.
In the nearby town of Gravelines, a family woke up to find a group of migrants blowing up a boat in their backyard to avoid being discovered by police.
The local mayor said that while it was the first case of its kind, he fears it could become “a new tactic”.
With flashing blue and red lights, the speedboat passed close to the dinghy several times, warning it to turn around and head for shore.
“Can you imagine waking up in the middle of the night and seeing people blowing up a boat in your garden?” said Bertrand Ringot.
Some residents say they are reassured by the increased police presence, but charities warn of their heavy-handed and even violent tactics, with one saying families with children and pregnant women have been tear-gassed.
Many local residents believe police should allow migrants through on their journey to the UK.
However, local authorities have pointed out that they are effectively leaving the ill-equipped migrants to die at sea.
Meanwhile, migrant aid charity Utopia 56 pointed out that most migrants die near the coast.
According to the report, the presence of police on beaches causes panic among people who want to go out to sea. They often get into boats that are not properly inflated or assembled, or have even been shot by officers.
Authorities came under fire last week after shocking video footage emerged showing border guards ramming their speedboat into an overloaded migrant boat as it set sail from Calais.
This year, 25 people have died trying to cross the Channel, more than double the number of fatalities in the whole of last year.
Migrants walk through water as they desperately try to board a smuggling boat on the northern coast of France (file photo)
Since the beginning of this year, almost 20,000 people have arrived in the UK in small boats (file photo)
More than 500 migrants arrived in the UK on Tuesday alone as border guards struggle to contain the crisis, with the total number of migrants now set to rise to 20,000 by 2024.
Migrant crossings increased over the summer, in line with annual trends. Last year, a total of 29,437 people arrived in the UK on small boats – down from 45,755 in 2022.
In the year ending June 2024, Afghans were the main nationality crossing the Channel, followed by Iranians, Vietnamese and Turks.
Many of the newcomers are fleeing war or persecution by oppressive regimes, but the perilous journey carries great risks.