Omar A. (43), Syria.
Omar A. (43), Syria.
On the 12th of January, 2016, a group of refugees including 43-year-old Omar A. tried to sneak onto the grounds of the 50 kilometer long Eurotunnel in Coquelles in the outskirts of Calais. Suffering from a twisted ankle that he sustained earlier that night, the man from Damascus, Syria, couldn’t run away when police detected and closed in on the group. Unable to move, Omar was beaten up with batons and hit specifically on his knees and elbows. After the incident Omar was left injured at the scene and had to call fellow refugees for help. He was later brought to the central hospital in Calais.
Various testimonies by other refugees and volunteers report similar cases of violence, with officers seemingly intending to punish and impede future attempts.
