Demonstration in Coquelles/Sangatte - a report
[french version below]
17.May.02 - We were almost hundred people on last saturday the 4th of May, protesting
during the two kilometers' distance from the Coquelles' Mairie to the police
station located close to the de l'Europe (huge consummer goods
temple/center) next to Eurotunnel terminal and some few miles from the
Sangatte' camp.
Many banderoles and a lot of placards requesting liberty and free movement
for everyone or protesting against prisons and detention centers for
foreigners could be seen.
This was an internationel protest as far as British from Barberwire Britain,
Kent comitee, Closecampfield or Belgian comrades joined aside militants and
even some undocumented people, from Boulogne, from Calais as well as others
from Paris and Lille.
The very morning our british friends had protested in England against the
opening of the Dover detention centre.
The police office located in Coquelles houses already a retention center but
they are plans to extend it on 3000m; for 60 "places".
The protesting' goal was to show our opposition to this construction as well
as our claiming about liberty of circulation and right of establishment for
Sanfattes'refugees as well as others all over the world.
We reached the police station a&nd so were able to moraly assist with our
solidarity undocumented people who where presently under arrest.
This demonstration was all the more important and significant that at this
very moment in France, the whole politician class with the help of
anti-racists and human rights supports, called for a republican vote against
the fascistic Le Pen. Demonstrating so, proved how much we refuse such a
consensus of opinion which allows everywhere in Europe as elsewhere, more
mans' exploitation, more poverty, more repression, more death in the name of
an open market or economical competition and of course in the name of
"Democracy".
In France as well as in the United Kingdom, prisons for refugees and
migrants are growed in number by the so called "Left" goverments so that,
they can maintain precariousness and lack of security for the foreigners and
of course in view of getting a greater benefit for the capitalistic economy.
We do hope this protest will allow our comrades located in this area to
develop a victorious campain against the opening of Coquelles' new center.
As far as we are concerned we, CAE (Collectif Anti Expulsion d'Ile de
France)continue the fight against the opening of another centre located in
Palaiseau, close to Paris.
We swaped experiences and anticipated common actions durind a brief work
session hold after the protest: Strasbourg camp, mobilzation for the
Yarls'wood 10 men accused after fire which burned down this prison formely
dedicated to refugees.
Samedi 4 Mai 2002, tions prs d'une manifester de la Mairie
de Coquelles jusqu'au commissariat qui se 2 kilomTrouvetres, entre la
Cit Europe (immense centre commercial) et le terminal d'Eurotunnel.
Beaucoup de banderoles et pancartes en fran ais et en anglais clamant la
de circulation et la fermeture des centres de tention et prisons
rangers.
Une manifestation internationale taient sents des camarades belges
et anglais aux s de militants de Boulogne, de Calais mais aussi de Paris
et de Lille.
Le matin mme, les anglais avaient dja manifest Douvres contre un camp
en construstion dans cette ville d'Angleterre.
Alors que le commissariat de Coquelles abrite dja un centre de rtention,
un projet est en cours pour un agrandissement sur 3000m pour 60 "places".
S'opposer la construction tait le but de la manifestation mais aussi la
revendication de la libert de circulation et d'installation des rfugis de
Sanagatte et de partout. Nous avons pu atteindre le commissariat et montrer
ainsi notre solidarit avec les Sans-papiers qui s'y trouvent enferms.
Alors qu'en France, toute la classe politique, avec le soutien des
antiracistes et droits de l'hommistes, appelait au vote rpublicain contre
le fsciste Le Pen, cette manifestation avait un sens important car elle
dmontrait que nous refusons ce consensus qui permet partout en Europe et
ailleurs, plus d'exploitation, plus de misre, plus de rpression, plus de
morts au nom du March, de la concurrence conomique et de la "Dmocratie".
En France et en Angleterre, ce sont des gouvernements de Gauche qui
multiplient les constructions de toujours plus de prisons pour trangers,
qui les maintiennent dans une prcarit force pour le plus grand bien de
l'conomie capitaliste.
Nous esprons que cette manifestation permettra aux camarades de la rgion
de dvelopper une camapgne victorieuse contre l'ouverture du nouveau centre
de Coquelles.
Pour notre part (CAE, Collectif Anti Expulsion d'ile de France,) nous
poursuivons la bataille contre l'ouverture d'un autre centre Palaiseau
prs de Paris.
Une runion de bilan a eu lieu aprs la manifestation pour changer nos
expriences et prvoir des suites communes : campement de Strasbourg,
mobilisation pour les 10 dtenus du camp de Yarls'wood inculps suite
l'incendie qui a dtruit cette prison pour trangers.