the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes “categorically” denies any plan for a migrant camp in Menton

The Alpes-Maritimes prefecture denounces false information. “The prefect denies any plan for a migrant camp in Menton”assured France Télévisions the Ministry of the Interior, Monday September 18. “Nothing is planned”said the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, Bernard Gonzalez, to journalists late Monday afternoon.

A little earlier today, BFMTV announced the creation of this camp before correcting its information. “It is planned to temporarily increase the capacity of the police station for arrested illegal aliens”, explains the prefecture. This is’“have additional equipment”specified the prefect.

FAKE NEWS#Prefect06 categorically denies any plan to create a migrant camp in Menton.
It is planned to temporarily increase the capacity of the police station for arrested illegal foreigners, before their handover to the Italian authorities.

— Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes🇫🇷 (@prefet06) September 18, 2023

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the Italian police are not able to take care of those arrested at night. The prefect therefore asked a civil security association “to provide the border police with the necessary equipment” for extra space “with a capacity of 100 places”. “The identification of the location of this space is in progress” and he “will only be open if the capacity of the fixed premises is exceeded”adds the ministry.

While the island of Lampedusa is faced with numerous arrivals of migrants, the border police have made numerous arrests in recent days. “Thus, 1,485 arrests were made from September 8 to 14”specifies the Ministry of the Interior. “Since January 1, 30,431 individuals have been arrested (…), an average of 822 arrests per week.”