They fled war and poverty and oppression, crossed deserts and oceans and borders, walked from one edge of Europe to the other. They settled near Calais in northern France, at a migrant camp known as the “Jungle.” The conditions were squalid. They aimed for Britain, where they see more opportunities for jobs.
On Monday, they were evicted.
French authorities made good on their pledge to start evacuating the encampment and bussing thousands of migrants, many from Africa and a significant portion of them underage, to other areas around the country. By mid-afternoon on the first day, there were no major clashes with officers that had been seen over the weekend. The evictions are expected to go through the week; the site is then expected to be dismantled.