Following a demonstration yesterday by No Borders activists, including migrants from places such as Iran, Sudan and Afghanistan, a hunger strike began today in protest about the situation in Calais.

A growing number of people from different migrant communities are coming together to plan political actions. This hunger strike began today and the people involved have asked us to support them.

The migrants face constant harassment from police. Every day some amongst their number are arrested, taken to the police station only to be released in four to six hours. Occasionally they are held for as long as two days. Repression intensified recently with the destruction of the jungle where many migrants lived, the trigger-happy use of tear gas including on pregnant women, destruction of personal belongings and the targeting of migrants observing fasting during Ramadan by arresting them at nightfall and throwing away their food. If the police try to separate the hunger strikers or arrest them on spurious grounds, they say they will continue the hunger strike while under arrest and move again to a public space to continue the action when freed.

No Borders activists are already supporting the hunger strikers by standing alongside them, but the migrants are calling for support from all over the world. Messages of support can be left at http://calaishungerstrike.wordpress.com and the hunger strikers welcome anyone who wants to join the hunger strike in solidarity whether in Calais or elsewhere.

Many migrants are hopeful that they will be granted asylum in canada, and would appreciate support from Canadian activists in pressuring the government

Please contact us with your support
cala...@gmail.com
Communications number (French mobile): (+33)634810710

calaismigrantsolidarity
- e-mail: cala...@gmail.com
- Homepage: http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com
- Hunger strike website: http://calaishungerstrike.wordpress.com