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History’s slowest invasion force

In the last six weeks, hundreds of people — mostly men, mostly describing themselves as Iranian or Iraqi — have crossed the Channel in dinghies to land on their own or be picked up by our Coastguard. Which, of course, they do. And bring them here. Which, of course, is why they keep doing it.

Mostly next door in Kent, (that’s where Dover is), though a few washed up closer to home. We carefully lock doors these days.

Where are they getting the dinghies from? Why now? Why Iranians/Iraqis? Nobody knows. But at least they’re allowing us a lively discussion (see above).

Around 60 migrants are believed to have come ashore between December 23 and December 30 but reports from charities and refugees in Calais suggest the figures could be higher.

The Mail on Sunday reports that 66 migrants made it to Britain on Christmas Day alone.

Last month Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared a “major incident” over the number of migrants trying to cross the Channel to reach the UK.

Of the 504 migrants seeking to cross the English Channel in 2018, 276 managed to get to British waters and coasts, and 228 were intercepted by the French authorities.

If you haven’t seen anything on your news, not to worry — we haven’t much either. Except local sources.

They have to explain where all those abandoned dinghies on the beach are from after all.

Comments


Comment from BJM
Time: January 7, 2019, 10:21 pm

They have to explain where all those abandoned dinghies on the beach are from after all.

I’ll take Open Society Foundation for $500 Alex.


Comment from Uncle Badger
Time: January 7, 2019, 10:26 pm

Also being actively censored by the MSM is any serious coverage of what is happening a mere 20-30 miles away in the paradise that is the EU, Yes, la belle France is a smoking powder keg and yet the British media, led by the BBC (always the worst offender), is keeping quiet about the mayhem over there. Well, they wouldn’t want to encourager les autres, would they?

When people discuss media bias what they tend to concentrate on is active bias shown in favour of something or someone. More wicked by far is the power they routinely use to kill a story stone dead by simply failing to report it.

So far the Internet has put up a pretty strong counter to that-which is why it is their next target.


Comment from Amy Clark
Time: January 7, 2019, 11:49 pm

Question for those on the other side of the pond. Hubby has a conference in Paris in early June, we are considering going as a family. Due to all but a news blackout on the goings-on in France, any thoughts on whether the, ahem, recent disagreeableness is likely to continue? Would ‘Mericans be safe in Paris? Are other parts of France in a similar state?


Comment from AliceH
Time: January 8, 2019, 2:00 am

Amy – I don’t know how useful the US State Department info will be (not known for candor), but it’s not a bad place to start. Currently, they have France at Level 2 (of 4): “Exercise Increased Caution”. Level 3 is “reconsider travel” and 4 is “GET OUT STAY OUT NOW” (I paraphrased that one).

They also have something called “STEP” you can register for — https://step.state.gov/step/ in order to (quoting them):
1) Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
2) Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
3) Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency


Comment from AliceH
Time: January 8, 2019, 2:14 am

As a side note, my ability to cut/paste into this site is working for the first time in well over a year. The function returned as mysteriously as it had left – for no discernible reason.


Comment from tomfrompv
Time: January 8, 2019, 4:57 am

I’m a bit concerned for the Weasels. The fact they’re mostly men and beaching in random locations is a danger sign. It’s not like the “authorities” are being transparent about it either. Some are bound to get thru on their own and will be looking for food and money, if not a map or guidebook. Keep your pets indoors!

We get some of this too – but the folks floating in always come with drugs or a load of illegals (usually asian). In any case, they know already where to head since there are people waiting to help these illegals.

Anyone know if the Iraqi/Iranis are joining fellow “migrants”? If so, you will be fine unless your home lies along the road they’re traveling. I presume these folks stand out from your normal travelers, unlike here…


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: January 8, 2019, 8:45 am

This area has been a center of smuggling for hundreds and hundreds of years. Coastal, terrain known only to the locals, facing France. Kipling’s ‘Smuggler’s Song’ was written about this area. In recent times, drugs. Undoubtedly, some of these warm bodies are being brought over by organized smuggling activity.

Amy, I get the impression they’re keeping the mess away from the tourist areas. You’ll note they had the fireworks around the Arc do Triomph at New Year’s with a huge crowd and no disruption at all. I wouldn’t stray off the beaten path, though!

The protestors are a mixed lot. Like, it started with the ‘tea party’ but inevitably attractive ‘antifa’. And the Muslims, always. They always set fire to cars during the holidays.


Comment from Some Vegetable
Time: January 8, 2019, 1:56 pm

When talking about riots or protests in La Belle France, one must always consider that they are a cultural institution there with a long and colorful history.
One also has to factor in the sense of the drama, danger and romance that one can create simply by writing of something, anything, in French.

For example, we all know of the storming of the Bastille on the 14th of July 1789 by the brave French bare-handed peasantry against heavily armed soldiers of the King. Surely, even though I am writing in humble English, you can imagine the joyously tearful faces of the hundreds of starving, tortured, prisoners from the dungeons, freed with the flag-red blood of the righteous populace!

Except: “At this point, the Bastille was nearly empty, housing only seven prisoners: four forgers, two “lunatics” and one “deviant” aristocrat, the Comte de Solages (the Marquis de Sade had been transferred out ten days earlier).

“….attempts by deputies to organise a cease-fire were ignored by the attackers”

“…A substantial force of Royal Army troops encamped on the Champ de Mars did not intervene. With the possibility of mutual carnage suddenly apparent, Governor de Launay ordered a cease-fire at 5:00 pm. A letter offering his terms was handed out to the besiegers through a gap in the inner gate. His demands were refused, but de Launay nonetheless capitulated….”

An English traveller, Doctor Edward Rigby, reported what he saw, “[We] perceived two bloody heads raised on pikes, which were said to be the heads of the Marquis de Launay, Governor of the Bastille, and of Monsieur Flesselles, Prévôt des Marchands.

“The official list of vainqueurs de la Bastille (conquerors of the Bastille) subsequently compiled has 954 names,[30] and the total of the crowd was probably fewer than one thousand. A breakdown of occupations included in the list indicates that the majority were local “artisans”;[read as broom makers, etc] together with some regular army deserters [read as regular army deserters] and a few distinctive categories such as 21 wine merchants [read as Shot-House operators] .
[Note: the victors had all they could do to weed the number of Bastille Stormers claimants down to that number after the fact.]

So, we have all the traditional elements of a French Riot, even as we find them today! An overblown story as the cause, a patronizing view of the situation by the authorities, the immediate and complete capitulation by the French Army, and (in the absence of cars to burn) a couple of beheadings. All this followed by reporting of the event more exciting than the event itself could ever be.

This remains true today although the press must do what they can with the raw material available, be it motorists in yellow safety vests disrupting traffic, or farmers dumping truckloads of cabbages.

However, this is not to say that you should skip the full-coverage insurance on your rental car. There ARE dangerous parts of Paris, just as there are dangerous parts of Dallas, where I live. And the car burning? Well, what would YOU do if you owned a three-year old French car? You well might consider burning it and others of its ilk. In summary, I would say for the average tourist in the average tourist areas, the biggest danger will be from pickpockets, followed by biological attacks to the soles of your shoes by French dogs.


Comment from DurnedYankee
Time: January 8, 2019, 4:21 pm

We shall admit them until the end,
we shall let them in from France,
we shall let them travel across the EU and over the seas and oceans,
they will come from throughout the Middle Eastern portions of the world in growing confidence and growing strength,
and we shall surrender our island to them,
whatever the cost to our citizens may be.

We shall house them in our cities,
and in our towns,
and on our cricket pitches,
we shall build tent cities in our fields and hills.
We shall change our laws to accommodate them
and eventually they will gain control and take charge
and they will then make the laws
and what is left of our sovereign nation will go down into the darkness of the 12th century at last.

For we have already surrendered.

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