Calais

Jane- we are watching the news- and this is just so difficult- such a mess. And as you say, all fit, young men- I worry so for their women left behind, they probably need more help. But what to do? Calais is going to be a 'difficult place' this Summer, that is for sure.

This has been going on for years. I used to deal with Channel Tunnel and frequently went to Coquelle (spelling?) There were always loads in camps waiting to jump a lorry and I would see a lot walking along the M20

I watched it too. Hungary has said it's closing its borders, I really don't blame them saying 'Our people come first'
The countries they come from are haemorrhaging their young men, as you say, fit young men.
Until those country's look to change I can't see this ending, it's certainly escalating at the moment.
I also feel for the lorry drivers, they must get so angry, having their livelihoods threatened.

It must also be quite scary, when such numbers are present trying to jump into or onto the lorry, etc.

Yes good point granjura where are the women. They must be left behind to face God knows what. Alternatively maybe they are doing what our young men used to -'go out to seek their fortune.' Don't know what they think they'll find here.

I was in Calais a month ago and it was very intimidating but the numbers are escalating. I fear the French are going to let them through so that it becomes our problem. It is not right that able bodied young men leave their country so that the older generation and the women have to support themselves.

A few months ago when we last came through Calais there were the migrants all along the road and the nearer to the port the more there were. There were also some women among their numbers. On the particular day we were coming through the CRS police also came and were opening back doors of lorries and in some cases pulling people out. At that time everyone was fairly good humoured but I think things have deteriorated. There have been demonstrations in Calais town about lack of sufficient police numbers particularly at the weekends.
We have used Caen or Le Havre for our last crossings and have booked our next one from Caen although we will come back via the tunnel as we shall be calling in to see friends SE of Paris. Calais cannot carry on dealing with the problem alone - the mayor has started to talk about opening another camp similar to Sangette further from the town or port themselves. These migrants have landed in Europe much further south and have travelled many miles unimpeded northwards - that is not right either and were we part of the Shenghen agreement we would find it much more difficult to close our borders to them.

We twice booked a Hôtel in Calais (Calais Plage) and when we got there found it had been requisitioned for the police- and the car park full of their vans. We were put in the Hôtel next door the first time, and one on the other side of town next time.

It is seriously affecting the town now.

It was scary enough last August when there were bunches of migrants for miles along the road leading to the port, and equally groups of armed police. What it must be like ten months later, I hate to imagine.

sil and bil are coming via Tunnel on 30th- hope they will be ok and when they return 10 days later.

Harrigran, do you think they should have to stay and be forced to join the army? That's what happens in many of the countries they are escaping from.

Why not? many countries have compulsory military service.

And if they refuse to join IS they get beheaded? You're nice!

www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/19/children-worsening-conditions-calais-jungle-2-migrant-camp

Families there, not just fit young army fodder.

Harrigran, my grandson is Danish. They have military service there. Fortunately as he has ASD he will probably not be called up. It must be unusual to be relieved that your grandson has ASD.

Not all of them are fleeing for their lives, some of them are economic migrants.

What ever the reason for wanting to leave your country, to do so under the circumstances that they are all enduring it is be a reasonable assumption that life in their own country must be ghastly.
Who in this country (apart from those people rushing off to be slaughtered in the Middle East) would be prepared to leave the UK and live as they do and face the dangers they face.? If however you were suddenly faced with starvation, lack of reasonable education, grinding poverty or chemical warfare, death by shrapnel or bullets or bombs without proper care for the injured or dying . Then it seems a totally rational thing to try to make a better life elsewhere. This will never stop, and given the pressures building up will get worse.
To build walls, or refuse to do anything is ridiculous . But the more sensible thing to is to get the world together and talk a way out of the problem - we do when it suits us over the economy and climate change.

They have passed through many safe countries to get to Calais, why don't they make a new life for themselves in one of these safe places. They are economic migrants and I for one don't want them here. I have 4 nephews and nieces who are in their 20's and they can't find full time work. My granddaughter couldn't get into her first place school and I'm fed up with trying to get a doctors appointment. Nearly all of the people I talk to don't want them here either.

mag your reply doesn't answer the question Of what to do in the future as this is not going to stop. We can of course as you are suggesting in your post pull up the drawbridge and turn your back, or recognise that we are part of the world community and as such energetically attempt to deal with the problem world wide. We lack good leadership in this country.

Oh - I can see where Magpie is coming from. Maybe most of them are economic migrants, and surely, being young and fit, they should stay and make something of their own countries. But then, there's the violence over there.

Oh! Just join me in despair!

The countries they have passed through magpie are not as attractive as the UK . We house, clothe, feed, educate and cure all ills, what is not to like ?
If you go to school websites they list the criteria for getting a place at a local school, my GC were lucky to get into their village school.

harrigran that's the answer isn't it make the UK unattractive, at the moment we are a soft touch. What happens to them when they are caught in Dover I would like to know, in my opinion they should be sent straight back to France. Probably as you say they are housed, clothed and fed, no wonder they keep on coming. We need tougher controls at Calais, thermal imaging cameras and every lorry and car checked to prevent them getting here in the first place.

Magpie, harrigran, this woman has lived here for 4 years as an asylum seeker. She will probably be sent back to Saudi tomorrow, from Yarl's Wood detention centre.
Please read down to the bottom of the petition to find out what is likely to happen to her.

email.change.org/mpss/c/ygA/3CE/t.1o5/77DZxmIOT2qTWI-4pF-gGQ/h3/KLcqj6mm2DNwtPZFTP391kz8XlAzuP-2FhFrHwxEd2ZWcsERWR9NQTn9M14VhvF4kho-2BHwTSntoAwJ7fU-2B-2F-2F9OMOZS00ZAvOF3ufLV-2BnFabkntKcI5ZZiMuYMMw7Hmo8MStnDbUTZOQk1XJby-2Fv7R-2FBan4gksI2LGENSCRu5mSn5KZVLeKhiZlwcr-2Fr-2BkpbSNi9QsRhgobCy9gmW3jzvWq199jc9o4hfJjj5g2cxmtQVshWB-2FCMA64pJSR-2F5lGzQSegJ3p8YZmNzDIsUCRayqbpAS1ef8XC0Oo2p-2BuDaqJ99g-3D