The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, signed a mayoral decree which bans refugee charities from handing out meals to migrants in the town. Bouchart argued that it poses a security threat, but it is also part of a larger effort to prevent refugees from building camps in Calais after the destruction of the “Jungle” refugee camp in late 2016. Despite the ban, several charities said that they will continue to provide food and other aid to refugees who continue to flee to Calais.
The UN supported the demolition of the “Jungle” and relocation of migrants living in the Calais camp due to poor living conditions and concerns over safety. It will be interesting to hear the UN’s response to Bouchart’s ban as European leaders struggle with how to handle the refugee crisis.