Skip to main content

BLiNK: Banned from France and held under terror law for delivering aid to refugees

Destroying Calais Jungle wastes aid money and forces refugees into what they describe as 'concentration camps'
Directed by Yannis Mendez and Charles B. Anthony, seen here interviewing Syed Bokhari, co-founder of London 2 Calais, a London-based organisation working to provide aid to refugees

Watch the interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsZfyzj08XA

The infamous Calais refugee camp known as the Jungle is currently being demolished by the French authorities. The last two days have seen violent clashes between French riot police and refugee residents.

Why is the Calais Jungle being demolished? Where will all the evicted residents now go? And why are residents of the "Jungle" not claiming asylum in France?

MEE's Charles B Anthony spoke to Syed Bokhari, co-founder of London 2 Calais, a London-based organisation working to provide aid, advice and solidarity to residents of the "Jungle". 

Bokhari has been stopped under the terrorism act and banned from entering France because of the work his organisation has been doing in Calais, which he says “consists mostly of delivering tins of food and clothes to people who need them quite desperately.” 

Bokhari explains that hundreds of thousands of pounds of aid have been wasted destroying the camp and that residents are resisting the demolition because they do not want to move into what they say are “concentration camps”.

New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch

Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters

Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.