There has been a tense stand-off in the northern French port of Calais between police and anti-fascists who were demonstrating ahead of a planned march by far-right anti-immigration activists. <br /><br />Police barricaded streets in an attempt to stop the two groups meeting and avoid potentially violent clashes.<br /><br />The left-wing groups claim they are there to protect the migrants. <br /><br />The migrants themselves have also been protesting, making accusations of police violence and demanding protection under what they see as their rights. <br /><br />Calais port has become a focal point for the opposing groups on immigration, since it is a staging post for migrants trying to cross the English Channel and enter the UK illegally. <br /><br />They often end up stuck in and around the port for a long time while they attempt to stow away on trucks that use the local ferries to get to England. <br /><br />With no state accommodation available they can end up living in makeshift camps in the surrounding woods, sometimes leading to tension with local residents.
