A migrant camp dismantled near the Spy area

Belgium

A migrant camp was dismantled Tuesday morning near the Spy Highway area, in Jemeppe-sur-Sambre, in the province of Namur. Three people were arrested, said the bourgmestre and the head of Jemeppe-sur-Sambre. The operation mobilized some 20 local, federal, road and judicial police officers, and aims to avoid the installation of permanent camps, incidents and restore a sense of security in the village. Migrants usually come by train and bus from Brussels to try to get into a truck on the Spy area that will take them to Calais, the last step before reaching England. However, not all of them have access to a truck, and while waiting for small camps to form nearby

"They hide and sleep there.The Red Cross pbades regularly, as do some local residents, but we we also have a duty of public safety ", specifies the chief of body. "Problems of safety arise, but also safety, because some migrants do not hesitate to cross the motorway by running."

Concerns are also developing with a part of the population, but no increase of vandalism was also reported

At the same time, the police are also trying to dismantle possible trafficking in human beings on a larger scale. "The existence of possible smugglers in Belgium who would indicate the way to them in exchange for money is envisaged," says the police.

Operations of this type will be renewed regularly. "We will not be able to stop this phenomenon, which remains very unfortunate, but we do not want camps to be formed at Spy," says the bourgmestre.

As a reminder, at the end of May, several arrests were made by the federal police after a fight involving about sixty migrants on the Spy area. In the province of Namur, other areas are concerned by the phenomenon, including Aische-en refail (Eghezée) and Wanlin.