Video of police violence in Calais

Watch the :: Video on YouTube.

These images were captured on the 5th of May 2015, beginning at 8 am and continuing throughout the day on the motorway branch leading to the ferry port of Calais (A216). These are just some examples of the everyday police brutality against people who attempt to cross the channel from Calais to the UK by hiding inside trucks. Calais Migrant Solidarity also intends to recall the difficult conditions faced when documenting police violence.

1 - at 0'12", Three members of the French riot police (CRS) force a person who was hidden in a truck to the other side of the motorway guardrail. At the end of the sequence (0'22) a second police officer discharges a burst of tear gas while the two persons were fleeing.

2 - at 0'28", A CRS officer removes a person from a truck and pushes him violently over the guardrail.

3 - at 0'42", On the motorway junction A16) towards the Eurotunnel the police spray pepperspray from a van against a group of migrants. (a policecar slows down and discharges a burst of tear gas passing near agroup of migrants on the the other side of the guardrail to deter them from trying to cross.)

4 - at 0'51", One person is violently thrown over the guardrail by the police. After that a CRS officer assaults another person, kicking him to the ground. The person assaulted gets up and tries to run away but then receives kicks and punches and is pushed violently over the guardrail. At 1'09 (left of the image) a CRS officer uses pepper spray against people who are walking away.

5 - at 1'15", A CRS officer removes a person from a truck and violently pushes him over the guardrail.

6 - at 1'24", A CRS officer threatens a group of people by running towards them with a baton screaming, as it if he was playing with them.

7 - at 1'40", A scene shot 22th of April 2015 near the junction of the A16 and Eurotunnel where police chase a member of a group who were documenting police violence, they stop him, floor him and push his head into the ground with a knee.

8 - at 1'55": A CRS officer hits the guardrail with his baton, threatening a group of people.


Recall that in January the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report denouncing police violence, resulting in a condescending reaction dénégatrice the Ministry of the Interior ("the Government deployscomprehensive and appropriate responses.").


HRW report :: France : Les migrants et les demandeurs d'asile victimes de violence et démunis (Jan 2015)

Answer of the authorities :: Accusations publiques contre les forces de l'ordre formulées par l'association Human Rights Watch (20 janvier 2015)

Source :: calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com, 10. May 2015