Calais - The Police Response To The "Videos Of Shame": Still More Violence.

PRESS RELEASE

April 22, 2011


The Police Response To The "Videos Of Shame": Still More Violence.


Yesterday morning (Thursday, April 21 at 9), during a brutal police raid at the Africa House (Rue Descartes) three activists No Border filming and acting as observers were violently arrested and are to be prosecuted in court. More than 20 Sudanese refugees, mainly living in the squat were arrested. The police physically abused the militants. They destroyed one of their cameras and deleted the videos on the second.

"It looked above all like revenge for the publication of the No Border videos on the Rue 89 and Inrockcuptibles websites denouncing police harassment at Calais," said Martin, an Noborder activist.

Three activists were arrested. Two of them who were filming the raid were caught and thrown violently to the ground by the PAF and the CRS*. They spent nine hours in custody and they have several charges against them: illegal occupation, violent resistance in a meeting ... The trial will take place on July 12 in Boulogne sur Mer.

"Once again, this trial is just a strategy of manipulation to destroy the public image of No Border and to try and scare us, discourage us from contining to film and witness the reality Calais and its repressive system. But we are not afraid, we are ready to go to court to seize the opportunity to win this new political trial, "said Marine an activist.

Two weeks ago NoBorder released several videos that showed violence, sexual harassment, verbal abuse, destruction of cameras. In a video that was widely viewed it showed PAF officers arriving at Africa House in the morning to wake migrants with "Sunday in Bamako."

"The movies are published are the tip of an iceberg of daily harassment by the police in Calais. This violence is systematic and is part of an overall strategy against migrants in this city," said Martin. "Apart from the videos we have many other documents that are ready to be published or used as evidence in legal action against the police. We will not be intimidated by the violent reaction of the authorities, we will stick to our convictions. In Calais repression is the law. "

[* PAF - Border Police / CRS - Paramilitary Riot Police]



Notes to Editors

1) No Borders Calais have maintained a constant presence in Calais since June 2009. The work consists mainly of activists conducting surveillance against police violence and to show concrete support with the migrant communities.

2) The Africa House is an old disused factory in the Rue Descartes, Calais, where a hundred migrant Sudanese, Eritreans, Afghans have sought refuge.

3) The videos are on:

http://www.rue89.com/tag/calais

http://www.lesinrocks.com/inrockstv/inrockstv-article/t/62975/date/2011-04-10/article/a-calais-la-police-et-les-no-border-jouent-au-chat-et-a-la-souris/

see also:

http://www.wat.tv/video/police-sous-objectif-no-border-3lo5r_2exyh_.html

http://media.radiofrance-podcast.net/podcast09/11714-14.04.2011-ITEMA_20279885-0.mp3