Screening at Pogo Cafe

Free Screening & Discussion: “Welcome”. Monday 15th April. 7.30pm

Bilal is 17 years old, a Kurdish boy from Iraq. He sets off on an adventure-filled journey across Europe. He wants to get to England to see his love who lives there. Bilal finally reaches Calais, but how do you cover 32 kilometers of the English Channel when you can’t swim? The boy soon discovers that his trip won’t be as easy as he imagined… After the screening members of Calais Migrant Solidarity will discuss the current situation in Calais, and what can be done to help.

Justice for Noureddin - demo at French Embassy in London, 17/07/12

*Justice for Noureddin Mohamed.*

*No more border killings.*

Demonstration at the French Embassy

Tuesday 17th July @ 2 pm

58 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7JT

Our friend Noureddin Mohamed died in suspicious circumstances in the centre of Calais in the early hours of Saturday morning (7 July 2012). Noureddin was 28 years old, originally from North Darfur, Sudan. He was well known and loved in Calais, and leaves many grieving friends. He died just some 200 metres from the government office where he had recently been granted leave to remain in France as a refugee.

Another friend killed in Calais

One more death. In the early hours of Saturday Morning (7 July), our friend N., 28 years old, from Sudan, died in Calais town centre. His body was dragged out of the canal near the Sub-Prefecture. As often in the past, the police have been point blank refusing to allow friends and family access to his body, or to hold an inquest into his death. They have already prepared their story about his death, which is starting to unravel as more evidence comes to light.

Not because it bears any relation to the truth, but this is the official line: N stole a mobile phone in the town centre, he was chased by a friend of the "victim", and somehow he managed to fall or jump into the canal, where he drowned. Apparently there is no need for an autopsy or inquiry. No need to explain police movements that night just before N died. No need to wait for evidence that he stole anything. This story, straight from the mouths of the cops, was parroted by the local hate-rag "La Voix du Nord" without further investigation. A migrant. A black man. A thief. An accident, maybe even a well-deserved death.

Escalation of police harassment, arrests and brutality in Calais in recent days

Update from Calais Migrant Solidarity:

Thursday 29th March and the surrounding days have seen a shocking and rapid escalation of police harassment, arrests and brutality against
people with and without papers in Calais – far beyond the normal level and in what seemed to be a premeditated assault on the migrant communities and their supporters.

This coincided with the visit of a UK ambassador to the city to meet with
officials on Friday 30th to discuss the matter of port security in the
run-up to London’s Olympic Games, and appears to be part of an ongoing offensive against migrants. This city is coming under the spotlight as part of the Olympic project as international sports teams are training in the Pas-de-Calais region, and the UK and French governments have promised a joint effort to strengthen the border regime this summer.

Calais No Borders talks and film screenings in London this week

First on the frontline of cuts and repression are migrant workers, propping up Europe's low wage economy, and refugees fleeing our imperialist wars. Trying to reach safety in the UK, hundreds of migrants get trapped on the border at Calais, where they are subject to daily attacks, arrests, raids by French riot police. No Borders Calais works in solidarity alongside migrants in the squats and "jungles" in Calais, documenting and resisting repression at the border. We will be showing films and talking about our work and encouraging you to join us, both in Calais and here in London.

Blockade of Coquelles detention centre, Calais, 02/07/11

PRESS RELEASE - 2ND JULY

Calais - Today, 2nd July 2011, some thirty activists decided to take direct action against the Coquelles detention center. They protest against the daily harassment of the migrants, the eviction of the migrants' squat Africa House and the French and European migration policies by blockading the gates of the centre.

Calais demo, 28/05/11

On Saturday 28th May there will be a demo in Calais at 2.30pm from the food distribution point to the town hall.

The basic demands are:

* Denounce the government's repressive policies against undocumented migrants and Roma
* Freedom of movement and the regularisation of undocumented migrants.

For several years there has been no demonstration in Calais on the subject and in this form. The demo follows a nationwide appeal launched by a collective of political groups and associations (Besides, we're from here) and the establishment of a north-coast collective in Calais by the group "the pot for ideas."

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