for associations, Bruno Retailleau's proposals attack people who are “already in danger”

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau spoke from Pas-de-Calais on November 29, 2024. He made a series of announcements to control the migration crisis. We interviewed two leaders of migrant aid associations; they denounce proposals that endanger exiles.

Visiting Pas-de-Calais, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced a series of measures aimed at stemming the “migratory disorder” on the Franco-British border.

Detailed in three sections: daily security, support for communities and residents, and dismantling of networks. The minister particularly insisted on the establishment of police reinforcement. 75 border police personnel, 75 personnel for the establishment of a reinforcement company, 25 additional police officers at the Dunkirk and Calais police stations.

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Bruno Retailleau also announced that he would create a compensation fund for people who have suffered damage based on funding from the British. Generally speaking, he announced that he would open negotiations with the United Kingdom so that the latter would participate financially in stemming the migration crisis.

Finally, he announced that 20 additional investigators would join the Office for Combating Smuggling of Migrants and hopes to remobilize Europe on the migration issue.

To understand the impact of these provisions on migrants from the Franco-British border and their consequences on the associative sector, we spoke with Laura Poignet, from the Calais branch of Utopia 56, as well as with Flore Judet, coordinator of the Migrants’ Hostel.

Did you expect these announcements?

Laura Poignet : “To be honest, we did not expect a reaction adapted to the reality of the coast, knowing the broad outlines of Mr. Retailleau's policy. We feared an unsuitable state and municipal response.

Unfortunately, I'm not surprised. We are incomprehensible that the speech is about the number of law enforcement officers, who continue a policy of repression and not about the protection of people. It is a speech which is in no way about the needs of these men, women and children stuck on the coast. To date, at least 80 men, women and children have lost their lives at this border. There is a multiplicity of tragedies faced with a State which does not respond with protection. We are still in an area where it is extremely cold, where hundreds of people are on the streets.”

There is nothing surprising about these announcements.

Flore County

Coordinator of the Migrants’ Hostel

Flore County : “These announcements are a smokescreen. We have been doing this for 30 years, responding in this way. Since the dismantling of the Calais jungle, there has been a permanent militarization and bunkerization of the border. And this does not have the effect of reducing the number of crossings.

I haven't heard a word for the victims, even though 80 people have died this year. At what point do we rehumanize these people? They are dehumanized and criminalized. There is nothing surprising about these announcements.”

To what extent does this impact the work of associations?

Laura Poignet : “Mr. Retailleau responds to the requests of Ms. Bouchart, mayor of Calais, with whom Utopia is not aligned on its reception policy, which is non-existent. The violence and intimidation will continue, never offering any solution We will always have as many people on the coast.

We see the number of police violence increasing. Today, I don't see how these police reinforcements will help us. There will be more pressure, more precariousness and more invisibility for all these people who are absolutely not mentioned in the speeches of Mr. Retailleau or Ms. Bouchart.”

Today, I don't see how these police reinforcements will help us.

Laura Poignet

Utopia 56 Coordinator in Calais

Flore County : “There are already a lot of police officers present on the coast. It's complicated to know the impact that this will have on our work. Obstacles to associative work exist from prefectures and town halls, such as the laying of rocks at our distribution sites, or no entry signs that appear out of nowhere. I remain very suspicious.”

Do these provisions put migrants in danger?

Laura Poignet : “I think these people are already in danger. Today, not having a safe route of passage, not having accommodation while the temperatures are dropping, not having proper access to water… they are already in danger here on a daily basis.

There is already a significant police force, this adds psychological pressure to people who are already in danger. Not to mention the crossing conditions which are getting worse and worse. When we look at the figures from Dover, there is an increase in the number of people boarding small boats. This is linked to the fact that there are fewer boats, but more people. There are 55, even 56 per boat, whereas before, there were only around thirty.

The dangerousness continues to increase because there is always more police presence. They harass, scare. There are more law enforcement officers, but the number of deaths is increasing, as are the number of border crossings and the number of people on the roads. Mr. Retailleau's response does not take into account the counter-speech of the associations. Today Mr. Retailleau responds to Ms. Bouchart without having dialogued with the associative world. “

Flore County : “With this philosophy of increasing repression on the coast, there have never been so many deaths. The deaths take place very close to the coast and can be explained by the stressful situation in which people find themselves before The police are equipped as for the repression of demonstrations. We have a prefecture which prides itself on saving lives with flashballs, tear gas and knives to pierce boats.

This puts everyone in danger, because boats leave ill-prepared, people rush on them and go ever further. Starting from the Baie de Somme, they multiply the distance almost by three.

This puts everyone in danger

Flore County

Coordinator of the Migrants’ Hostel

What saddens me is that the number of people who died was assumed by the minister himself in a tweet. He speaks of it as “harmful consequences“We say it, and we repeat it, the policies carried out at the borders are policies which generate deaths and the Minister of the Interior himself recognizes this? It takes a hell of a dose of cynicism.

Open safe passageways, allow people to use existing safe passageways. We have a ferry from Calais to Dover. There would be plenty of room for everyone to pass.”