Thursday 4th February, 10am, Conway Hall, Bertrand Russell Room
25 Red Lion Square, London WC1 (nearest tube: Holborn)
We are pleased to invite you to this press conference to inform you
about the current situation of migrants in Calais and the new project[1] by NoBorders and Sôs Sans Papier in the town. [2]
A new self-organised space, known as the Kronstadt Hangar, is being
opened this week by French group SôS Sans Papier and the NoBorders
Network in Calais.
The aim of this hangar is to provide a safe space for information-sharing, debate and practical solidarity. It has been opened in response to the continuing repression of the migrants in the area by the local authorities and the police. [3]
The press conference will include the following speakers:
* Alex B, active in Calais - speaking about police repression of
migrants and their supporters and the new migrants support project.
* Thomas Hausberg and Rosie Young, No Borders activists from London - speaking about the UK governments role and responsibility in the situation in Calais.
* Frances Webber - Human Rights and Immigration Lawyer - speaking about European Immigration Laws and the suppression of freedom of movement.
London NoBorders
For questions regarding the press conference contact:
noborderslondon@riseup.net
tel: 07535 319119
http://london.noborders.org.uk
[1] For more information see the press release at http://london.noborders.org.uk/node/282
[2] NoBorders is a network of groups and individuals in the UK and
Europe that call for freedom of movement and an end to migration
controls. Sôs soutien ô sans papiers is a French group that calls for
closure of detention centres, freedom of movement, freedom of
settlement and papers for all.
[3] Since the closure of the Red Cross Shelter in Sangatte in 2002 more than 1000 migrants have to permanently sleep outside in the
woods around Calais. At the beginning of 2009 French Immigration Minister Eric Besson vowed to make Calais a migrant-free zone. In September UK Immigration Minister Phil Woolas expressed his "delight" as the French authories destroyed sleeping places in the woods (the so-called "jungle") and temporarily detained hundreds of people. Despite the hard winter, charities and support organisations have been continually threatened in recent months and kept from giving even basic humanitarian support to migrants.