border borderXing guide. ing guide.

borderXing between France (Calais Frethun) and United Kingdom (Folkstone).

Friday 29th March 2002.

Third reconnaissance trip.

Equipment taken:
Journey
After being given a packed lunch I travelled to Dover and caught the
ferry to Calais.

Arrived in Calais by ferry and met up with Laura at Calais Ville Gare.

We walked along the beach, taking a nap until we arrived at Sangatte
where we checked into a hotel.

Sangatte has a nice array of far right stickers.

From here we visited Sangatte Red Cross Refugee center and spoke with
both Kurdish and Afghan asylum seekers. Apparently, after dinner they
spend most evenings attempting to infiltrate both Eurotunnel and
the ferry port. The ones we spoke with had just been returned by the
police courtesy bus after being caught on their way via road to the
Eurostar terminal.

When then decided to head-off across country towards the Eurostar
terminal to avoid police and mafia. The idea was to observe and talk
with refugees breaking into the terminal.

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We didn't encounter either security or refugees along the way.

On arrival we walked along the perimeter fence, observing occasional
security car and dog patrols. We were not seen or challenged by them.

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On our return journey we meet a photographer working for New York Times
at the tunnel entrance, with whom we shared our biscuits. He later drove
us back to our hotel.

Conclusion

Would be easy to get to Eurostar terminal across country in the dark
without detection. Scaling the fence without equipment is fairly easy
on the way in, but exit is impossible without cutting. Dodging patrols
inside secure area also looks simple due to scarcity if cctv and patrols.

Best time to operate is probably around 2 am when refugees have returned
to bed, but would get very wet from dew.

* Photograph by Laura Waddington.