Fourteen arrested after fire at UK migrant centre in Folkestone

Migrant groups have criticised living conditions at the military barracks near England’s southern coast

The fire broke out at a former military barracks. Care4Calais

Fourteen men have been arrested after a fire and an assault on a security guard at a military barracks in south-east England.

Kent Police said in a statement that 14 people have now been arrested following a “disturbance” on Friday at the site in the coastal town of Folkestone, which saw windows smashed and a building set alight.

The blaze broke out on Friday at Napier Barracks, where hundreds of migrants are staying.

The site, in the coastal town of Folkestone, Kent, is a temporary home for up to 400 men. It has been criticised by human rights charities and residents for providing unsanitary and cramped conditions.

Five men previously arrested in connection with the unrest remain in custody. One of them, 31-year-old Mohammed Ali, has been charged “with assault by beating, using or threatening unlawful violence and criminal damage.” He is due to appear in court on Monday.

Police said no serious injuries were reported as a result of the attack, even though a “significant amount of damage was caused to one part of the site following a fire, which is believed to have been started deliberately.”

More than 100 residents there reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus. The disturbances on Friday started after another 100 people, who tested negative, were moved out of the barracks and the remaining 300 received letters saying they would have to stay,  a group working with the residents said.

The UK’s Home Office said the fire was started deliberately and caused widespread damage including broken windows.

The barracks houses migrants who have crossed the English Channel in search of asylum.

More than 8,000 of people in small boats made the journey from France in the past year, four times as many as in 2019.

One Sudanese migrant said in January that 34 people were sharing a single shower and toilet, and that noise at night meant it was impossible to sleep.

Videos of the camp showed broken sinks and toilets.

One person remains on hunger strike because of the conditions after a large protest more than two weeks ago, volunteers said.

Some of those who stayed at the camp had no heating or hot water, said Clare Moseley, of Care4Calais, a charity working with the migrants.

“Ambulances had to be called at the weekend for people who were really sick,” she said.

“They shouldn’t be there. We want their [asylum] claims to be processed because there are massive delays in the process.”

The fire sparked a row after Interior Minister Priti Patel said the damage was “deeply offensive” to British taxpayers.

Bella Sankey, director of Detention Action, a human rights organisation, said: “Why can’t she allow emergency services to do their job without political interference? Her divisive, inflammatory and knee-jerk response will only fan the flames of prejudice and undermine the rule of law.”