Major escalation in migrant violence in northern France - police and locals targeted

It was the latest outbreak of violence and disorder among groups of migrants, which has seen police regularly targeted.

The incident at Grand-Fort-Philippe, near Dunkirk, was sparked by a police operation to stop a vehicle being driven by a suspected smuggler.

Authorities said the man was carrying life jackets and other pieces of marine equipment used in inflatable migrant boats.

Police mounted simultaneous operations to detain the suspect and prevent a group of 100 migrants nearby from launching their boat.

A police source said the people smuggling suspect refused to comply and got into a "violent struggle with officers."

Dozens of migrants, who had been prevented from boarding their boat, joined in the attacks on officers.

Firefighters were also called to extinguish a blaze set by the migrants during the disorder.

Three vehicles owned by local residents were badly damaged by the migrants.
It was the second morning of violence which also targeted local people in Grand-Fort-Philippe.

In the early hours of Monday, a dozen vehicles owned by local residents were seriously damaged by another large group of migrants, frustrated and angry after police prevented them from launching their small boat.

The town's mayor Sony Clinquart said: "The situation is turning into a guerilla war.

"People are deeply concerned."

The mayor said that residents were regularly reporting large groups of often hostile young men, hanging around outside their homes.

"There used to be compassion for these people" he said.

"Now there's just a mixture of anger and fear and a desperate need for something to be done."

Local officials have reached out to the French Prime Minister's office in a call for more concerted action to tackle the growing crisis of migrant violence.

In recent weeks, police reinforcements from Lille and Valenciennes have been sent to the area to help bolster the presence on the ground.

The violence is not just aimed at police and locals. There have been numerous recent incidents where rival migrant groups and people smugglers have clashed.

In April, a migrant was stabbed to death at the Loon Plage camp near Dunkirk, in a dispute between people smugglers and migrants.

Groups of migrants have clashed with each other regularly as some attempt to climb aboard boats without paying.

Earlier this year, a migrant arrived in Dover with stab injuries after a confrontation with criminal people smugglers on a French beach as he attempted to jump on board a small boat.

One security source told GB News that violence around the beaches of northern France would likely intensify in the months ahead, as the new Labour Government pursues its policy of attempting to "smash the gangs".

"There's no doubt there will be extra focus on preventing these launches" he said."And when the migrants, desperate to get to the UK, are thwarted in those efforts, that spills over into deep frustration, anger.

"If the efforts to tackle the gangs and prevent these boats from launching are successful, there's no doubt at all that the frustration and anger will descend into more intense violence."