Fourteen arrested in far-right anti-migrant protest in Calais

March 12, 2016

French police arrested 14 people on a far-right anti-migrant demonstration in Calais on Saturday morning. The protesters, who had not notified the authorities of their plan, blocked two bridges, set fire to tires and brandished banners telling foreigners to “Go home.”

CRS riot police stopped the unauthorized demonstration almost as soon as it began and had broken it up by 9.00am, officials said.

About 80 activists from the far-right group Génération Identitaire blocked two bridges, burnt tires and let off teargas, police said.

The organization claimed there were 130 protesters and that they blocked three bridges that “gave migrants access to the town of Calais.”

Photos and video posted on Twitter shown groups of young people sitting on the ground, some of them waving banners saying “Go Home” and “No Way,” which they appeared to believe means “No entry.”

A Génération Identitaire statement accused migrants living in the “jungle” shanty town of attacking police and motorists, rioting and destroying the “martyr town’s” social and economic life.

Demonstrations by the Islamophobic organization Pegida in Calais have been banned on the grounds of being a danger to public order.

On Friday five men appeared in court, accused of assaulting migrants while passing themselves off as police officers, the latest in several cases of attacks in the area.

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