Belgium pushes over 600 migrants back to France

Belgium has turned back more than 600 migrants at the French border since reinstating border checks over fears about the destruction of part of the Calais “Jungle” camp, police say.

In a fresh blow to the EU’s Schengen-free travel area, Belgium announced the measure last Tuesday to stop migrants currently at Calais crossing into its territory to try to reach Britain from the port of Zeebrugge.

France has called the decision “strange.”

“Since last Tuesday 619 people have been turned back — 334 who were already in Belgian territory and 285 at the border,” Belgian police spokesman Peter de Waele tells AFP.

Belgium has deployed around 300 police including officers on horseback to enforce the border controls with France.

— AFP