Sorry for all the late reports, this time a short summary of the last two months, as well as a quick statement to the distribution of food from us in Ventimiglia.
We saw from the 01.12.19 to the 31.12.19 in Grimaldi Inferiore 549 man,17 minors, 14 woman and 1 child. As well we witnessed a deportation bus passing the place with roughly 20 people inside. They are deported to Taranto. It was a rather calm month compared to the months before, but still the people out of the containers complained about the behaviour and the injustice of the french and italian police.
*** Attention police violence following ***One man told us he has a valid passport and a proof of the renewal of his „permesso soggiorno“, but he still got send back to italy. Another man and a minor reported to us that they hide in the train toilets and when the police found them, they pepper sprayed the toilet,handcuffed the minor and punched him in the face. According to a guy the police stole an insurance and an association card. One guy said he has official protection papers of a consulate, which he said makes him able to cross the border to france, but he was send to Italy. Another person reported to us that the controlleur in the train took 100euros of some migrants, but when the police came he pointed them out to get caught by the police. A man told us he got beaten up by the police in the containers, because he talked too much.Someone said the police ripped his clothes, and the officer insisted that we would tell people to hide in the toilets of the train. A guy reported that the police tried to steal his document, but they failed. And for that they destroyed his suitcase.According to two persons the police stole their passports, but handed it back a few days later when they got caught crossing the border again. One guy told us, that the police grabbed him violently and punched him in the ribs.Another man reported that the police took 400 € from him. A woman with a baby told us that the italian police threatened her to go in jail, but she was send back to Italy.And one guy told us that the italian police took him by his shirt and threatened him not to come back to this border.Furthermore the people told us that they got detained for way longer than 4 hours.5-10h x 8 ppl, 11h x 4 ppl, 12h x 3 ppl, 13h x2 ppl, 15h x 2 ppl, 18 h x1 person and 19 h also one person.January Report: In January (01,01,2020-31,01,2020) we know of 979 people pushed back by the french Police Aux Frontieres to italy, 945 of these we met in person. Fifteen of those were unaccompanied minors, further 6 minors were travelling in company or with there family. As well we met 11 women travelling alone, one of them pregnant.In 6 cases people reportet *******police violence******* to us:Five people claimed to be hit with the flat or closed hand by french police officers,One person said, he got kicked by a police officer while walking,Some of these cases were witnessed by other people in detention.Many cases of verbal violence from the french police got reported to us, such as insults and threats through the french police. A total of seven people reported to us, the police had stolen their documents, such as french asylum documents. One person with a valid passport and permit of stay got pushed back as well as a person with valid swedish documents, who was travelling in the train without a passport but a valid ID-card, which got not accepted by the french police. We know of one case, in which the italian military returned a person to the french police, because it was a not justified push back; as to our knowledge the person could legally stay in france after this.As well there was a 40hours monitoring organized by Anafe, regarding the police aux frontieres and the train station Menton Garavan, where are the most frequent police controls. In this period there were as well lawyers present. *****************
The distribution of food in Ventimiglia was hold for a decreasing amount of people, between 30 and 60 people were met each evening, an average of 40 people a day. Next to food we did several distributions of clothes as well as hygiene products.Since the amount of people coming to the food distribution is low and the most are citizens of the Red Cross Camp, where there is food provided, as well as other possibilities to receive food, hygiene products and clothes, such as the Bar Hobbit or Caritas, we have decided to stop distributing food on weekdays. We decided on this, because the resources spent and the environmental impact are high for a low need, as well, to find time and space tore-orientate as a group. The distribution of food will still be maintained on the weekends, as before the different days will be shared between us and other local groups.
Keep up the solidarity! Kesha Niya