The crisis is the border!

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The number of migrants that are being caught trying to cross to the UK by the Eurotunnel is grabbing sensationalist headlines and renewed attention from the British government. However, first and foremost, it is important to clarify that these numbers of 1,500 to 2,000 people are not in fact the number of people trying to cross in one time, but rather the total number of people caught in one night. After being caught, migrants are loaded onto a coach and then driven out of the Eurotunnel complex and released by the KFC from where they go to try again. People try many times in one night leading to these exaggerated figures. Nevertheless, we should not be surprised that the state is taking the chance to exploit this media hype to call for more security.

However, increasing security at the Eurotunnel again will not stop the people from trying and only cause more deaths in Calais. What can be seen now at the Eurotunnel is a direct result of the 15 million pound investment that the UK made last year in increasing security at the ferry port. Building the huge fence along the approach to the ferry terminal denied the people who could not pay smugglers to be put in the back of a truck any way to cross. This has forced them to now make the extremely dangerous journey to the Eurotunnel to try and catch a train. The Eurotunnel is already a militarized zone and to add more police and more fences will only increase the danger for people trying to cross, not in anyway prevent them from trying or in many cases making it.

Last night another Sudanese man lost his life after being run over by a truck, making that the eleventh death since June 1st, 2015! These are in addition to the countless injuries people are receiving from climbing and dropping from fences, being beaten and gassed by police, and being physically exhausted.

End the crisis and the killings in Calais! End Le Touquet and give people a dignified and safe way to cross to the UK! No Borders!