2 more channel walkers imprisoned, as Eurotunnel boss gloats
Two Iranian men were arrested in Folkestone on Saturday, after managing to walk the 31 mile length of the Channel Tunnel (article in The Guardian). They have been locked up and charged with the same nineteenth century law being used againstAbdul Rahman Haroun, who made it through a month ago and is lingering in prison awaiting trial.
Also on Saturday, as these men were being hunted down, Eurotunnel bossJacques Gounon was making a speech reported in the French press (article in Nord Littoral) celebrating Abdul Haroun’s imprisonment and complaining about how hard his job has become. The company chairman and chief executive, who receives a million euro annual salary, said: “just one illegal has finished his journey, in Folkestone, where he will be imprisoned for 2 years”. (NB: Abdul Haroun has not yet gone to trial, let alone been convicted, and Gounon is pre-emptively assuming he will get the maximum sentence.)
He went on to call for reinforcements to further militarise the area. “Let’s be clear: the other night, these were very far from poor unfortunates who seek refuge in England and have a right to a humanitarian approach. We were faced by veritable commandos, well coordinated, who haven’t just come up against us: they also massively attacked the port and stoned the trucks on the road to the port. Their goal: to make politics and destabilise the government.”
At least 11 people have been killed in or at the Eurotunnel since June. The most recent death was last Wednesday, a 20 year old Eritrean man (article on CNN). Many more have been injured by the razorwire fences, police, private security guards, and dogs. Now three people face up to 2 years in prison.
Gounon and the rest of the Eurotunnel management haven’t said a word about the deaths or shown an instant of empathy or understanding. For them, those risking their lives at the fences are not people. They are dangerous “commandos”. Or not even that, just unspecified “incidents” reported on Eurotunnel’s twitter (@leshuttle), with apologies to passengers for any inconvenience caused.
There will be a demonstration against Eurotunnel and allied company Eurostar atLondon’s St Pancras Station at 6PM on Saturday 24 October.
We call on groups in other cities to also organise protests against Eurotunnel, at the same time or otherwise.