French authorities try to pry migrants from camp in eviction

A policeman patrols a truck, on the French-Belgian border in Adinkerke, Belgium, on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016.

The first phase of clearing migrants and refugees from the Jungle camp in Calais has gone ahead after a judge approved mass evictions.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve says 2,700 migrants along the northern French coast have been sent to centers since October.

The state announced this month that the densely populated southern half of the camp – known as the “jungle” – would be razed.

The deadline expired on Tuesday evening. But Thursday’s court decision fell short of allowing a complete destruction of buildings at the site, concluding that the makeshift shelters where migrants sleep can be demolished – but that common spaces like places of worship, schools and a library that have sprung up must stand.

In total, the “jungle” is home to some 4,000 migrants.

While some residents have moved into the shipping container shelters, and a small number leave daily on state-provided coaches to centres elsewhere in France, many more than the official estimate of 800 to 1,000 people remain inside the main camp.

“Around 500 to 1,000 migrants will just disappear because there is nowhere for them to go”, Michel Janssens from the charity Medecins sans Frontieres told The Local, adding that this was “not human” and would only result in “clandestine camps” being set up. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) said disruption caused by migrants cost the United Kingdom freight industry an estimated £750,000 a day a year ago.

Dr Philip McCarthy, CEO of CSAN said: “no one wants to see the camp continue, however we need more time to assess the welfare of vulnerable unaccompanied minors and put in place proper arrangements to prioritise their health and social needs”.

Europe is facing its biggest refugee crisis since world War II, with large numbers of people arriving in Greece by boat from Turkey – many of them Syrians fleeing the civil war – and others sailing to Italy from North Africa.

“And the French say most of the people that are going to be evicted nearly all of them can be accommodated there”. Truckers have grown exasperated or fearful of increasingly bold migrants trying to sneak rides across the English Channel.

Tired travelers come to Calais driven by a dream – circulated among migrants, peddled by smugglers – that they will find peace and prosperity in Britain.

Demolition crews have been poised to start what officials say will be a better solution for migrants trapped in Calais with borders all but sealed by increasing security. “It is now extremely unsafe to cross over to England…”