Satirical prizes have just been awarded to the “worst measures” taken to discourage candidates for exile to England: cut trees, lacerated tents, prohibited food distributions… A ceremony of “Barbed Wire Awards” organized by the 39 organizations of the Collective of United Associations (CAU).
It’s in the Alhambra cinema in Calais that this ceremony was held on Thursday evening in the presence of association activists, residents and a few exiles.
The jury symbolically elected the worst “devices” during a satirical award ceremony that aimed “to raise public awareness of the hostility and urban cruelty towards exiles“explains Hélène Denise, coordinator within the Collective of United Associations – CAU.
Fences, walls, barbed wire, advanced technologies or the destruction of forests, beach closures, anti-food distribution orders, dispersal strategies and others anti-exile measures set up in Calais and Grande-Synthe were among the list of nominees in seven categories.
Each association represented on the jury designated its winning device. “The goal is not to prioritize or classify horror. For us, all devices are inhuman“says Hélène Denise.
Manuel Domergue, director of studies at the Abbé Pierre Foundation and CAU spokesperson, opened and presided over the ceremony with Gilles Henry, head of the Solidarity Boutique of the Abbé Pierre Foundation in Valenciennes.
A ceremony organized on the same model as the “Pics d’or” awarded by the Abbé Pierre Foundation regarding the worst anti-homeless devices.
Calais, the city of lace, this evening has become the city of barbed wire
Hélène Denise, spokesperson
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“A first special edition in Calais, the city of lace, which this evening has become the city of barbed wire” quips Hélène Denise. A ceremony planned before the start of the Ukrainian crisis and the reception of refugees from the East. “There is always an emergency in Calais, at the moment we are talking about the problem of refugees, it is very good to welcome Ukrainians but we must not forget that we are treating others inhumanely exiled.”
Have been awarded:
In the category “A crazy dough”
More than 300 CRS deployed in Calais and Grande-Synthe to chase exiled people from their place of life on January 6, 2022.
In the “Sweet France” category
The case of Bhrané, exiled Eritrean, victim on November 11, 2020 of a tense shot of LBD40 in the face. After a 2-month hospitalization, he filed a complaint without follow-up. He has since been deported to the Netherlands.
In the category “Make the planet great again”
The least ecological device: 8 to 10 tons of personal belongings taken from exiles during expulsions are thrown away every month.
In the “Tableware” category
The 20th decree prohibiting the distribution of food issued by the Prefecture of Pas-de-Calais since September 2020.
In the “High Tech” category
The deployment of a military plane and two helicopters to reinforce aerial surveillance and prevent illegal crossing attempts.
In the category “Go see if I’m there”
The stones installed under the roof of an abandoned Conforama, to prevent people from sheltering there at night.
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The various prizes were awarded by Sylvie Desjonquères, head ofEmmaus Grande-SyntheHugo Hardy, Advocacy Coordinator Calais Food CollectiveMarie Florin, volunteer doctor at Médecins du Monde and head of Mission in Calais, Clara Bazin Hurtebise from The Legal Shackassociation co-organizer of the ceremony, Marguerite Combes, coordinator ofUtopia56 CalaisOthman Mohammad Ahmad, exile, Emma Monbrun, field coordinator for Human Rights ObserverMedhi Dimpre, Calaisian committed to exiled people, Pierre Bonnevalle, researcher for the Migrant Support Platform.
Was also awarded a ” Barbelé d’Or” to police violence, embodied by the case of Bhrané.
The president of Catholic ReliefVeronicaue Currency, called for “the immediate end of the sterile policy of fighting against the fixation points, and the establishment of migrant houses on the coast”.
“The challenge of fraternity can be taken up: the unprecedented surge of solidarity of the French for the benefit of the Ukrainians (…) is the proof”, she stressed, expressing the hope that “welcoming Ukrainians paves the way for welcoming all other exiles”.
After thanking Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin for his “ingenuity“, the participants symbolically handed over the awards to the town hall of Calais.
About a thousand migrants live around Calais, in temporary camps from which they are expelled very regularly to avoid the reconstitution of slums.
At least 348 people have died at the border for 20 years, including 5 since the beginning of this year 2022.
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