Calais refugee children 'arrested by French authorities'
Calais refugee children 'arrested by French authorities'
Unaccompanied children unable to register and then forced to stay at the burning Calais camp were arrested by French authorities, aid agencies have reported.
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Children who were unable to register have reportedly been detained in Calais [Getty]
Refugee children stranded in the Calais camp have been arrested by French authorities, according to aid groups.
Unaccompanied children who could not register while the notorious "jungle" camp was being demolished were forced to sleep under a bridge on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, aid agencies reported the youngsters were being arrested.
"Children have been completely misinformed at every step and many have yet to be given safe and secure accommodation by the French state," Ben Teuten from the camp's Refugee Youth Service said in a statement.
"RYS have had reports today that children who have not been processed are now being arrested by the state."
"RYS have had reports today that children who have not been processed are now being arrested by the state."
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— HelpRefugeesUK (@HelpRefugeesUK) October 27, 2016" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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— HelpRefugeesUK (@HelpRefugeesUK) October 27, 2016
" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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— HelpRefugeesUK (@HelpRefugeesUK) October 27, 2016
" style="color:#fff;" class="twitter-post-link" target="_blank">Twitter Post
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Help Refugees also reported children were being detained.
The works to flatten the camp began on Monday with its estimated 8,000 residents being relocated to reception centres around France, or put on buses to the UK.
The works to flatten the camp began on Monday with its estimated 8,000 residents being relocated to reception centres around France, or put on buses to the UK.
But scores of children were reportedly left behind, having been unable to register before the office closed at 12.15pm that day, and being told to go back to a camp where tents had been set on fire and shacks demolished.
"The registration process is no longer functioning," Teuten added.
"Children have yet to be registered by the state and the container camp where children are meant to be moved to is full.
"Last night saw children sleeping on the street outside of the container camp as they were unable to be registered at Le SAS (registration warehouse) and their shelters were burnt down in yesterday's fires.
"Children have yet to be registered by the state and the container camp where children are meant to be moved to is full.
"Last night saw children sleeping on the street outside of the container camp as they were unable to be registered at Le SAS (registration warehouse) and their shelters were burnt down in yesterday's fires.
"Yesterday RYS made further recommendations that would ensure every child still living within this very dangerous camp had a place to sleep.
"These were not adhered to and children were forced to sleep outside and only received the most basic provisions from other volunteer services. With a lack of information, RYS remains extremely concerned for the safety of every single child that is in this camp."
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