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Roof protest over clearing of Calais refugee camp

Police surround activists standing on the roofs of dwellings in an attempt to prevent them from being dismantled in a makeshift refugee camp near Calais, France
Police surround activists standing on the roofs of dwellings in an attempt to prevent them from being dismantled in a makeshift refugee camp near Calais, France Police surround activists standing on the roofs of dwellings in an attempt to prevent them from being dismantled in a makeshift refugee camp near Calais, France

About two dozen people protesting against the demolition of the sprawling Jungle refugee camp in Calais climbed on to shanty rooftops, briefly stalling the clearance.

Bulldozer crews ploughed through blustery, damp winds, working around the protesters, who ultimately came down from the buildings. By mid-afternoon, the demolition was proceeding unimpeded.

Earlier in the day, a man and a woman standing together on a rooftop had warned police not to approach. The woman then cut her wrists as officers moved forward.

Baton-wielding police beat the man and both were removed from the roof. The woman was conscious but her condition was not immediately known.

The slow removal of the encampment in Calais has angered refugees who live there in squalid conditions in the hope of reaching Britain.

France's government has offered to relocate uprooted refugees into heated containers or to centres around France where they can decide whether to apply for asylum, and officials have blamed activists from the group No Borders for the ongoing unrest.

But many refugees resist French offers of help, afraid of hurting their chances to reach Britain.

The city bordering the Channel has ferry links and the Eurotunnel rail route to Britain, and is temporary home to an estimated 4,000 refugees, down from 6,000 in December.

The camp has become a flashpoint between France and Britain, fuelling far-right support in both countries.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said: "This operation will continue in coming days, calmly and methodically, providing a place for everyone as the government has committed."