- Title: French volunteer to stand trial for transporting migrants across Italian border
- Date: 23rd November 2016
- Summary: BREIL-SUR-ROYA, NEAR ITALIAN/FRENCH BORDER, FRANCE (FILE - OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) MIGRANTS WALKING ALONG MOUNTAIN PATH VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS RUNNING TO MINIBUS WHICH WILL TRANSPORT THEM ACROSS ITALIAN-FRENCH BORDER NEAR ITALIAN/FRENCH BORDER, FRANCE (FILE - OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) FRENCH VOLUNTEER AND FARMER, CEDRIC HERROU, WHO TRANSPORTS MIGRANTS ACROSS ITALIAN BORDER TO FRANCE, ON PHONE IN MINIBUS MIGRANTS SITTING IN MINIBUS MOUNTAINOUS ROAD MENTON, ON ITALIAN/FRENCH BORDER, FRANCE (FILE - OCTOBER 3, 2016) (REUTERS) ITALY SIGN NEXT TO BORDER CONTROL POST CARS DRIVING PAST FRENCH BORDER POLICE FRENCH BORDER POLICE WAVING A CAR THROUGH NEAR ITALIAN/FRENCH BORDER, FRANCE (FILE - OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) HERROU'S HANDS AT WHEEL OF MINIBUS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH VOLUNTEER AND FARMER, CEDRIC HERROU, WHO TRANSPORTS MIGRANTS ACROSS ITALIAN BORDER TO FRANCE, SAYING: "Here the migrants are in France, but they cannot get out of here because there are too many checks. So we've got them in Roya (Breil-sur-Roya) and there comes a point where we have to move them. Either way if we don't move them they will just set off themselves either by passing along the train tracks, or by the mountains, and going through the mountains to get to Nice takes several days on foot." MINIBUS DRIVING ALONG ROAD / HERROU AT WHEEL MIGRANT'S HOLDING HANDS TOGETHER (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH VOLUNTEER AND FARMER, CEDRIC HERROU, WHO TRANSPORTS MIGRANTS ACROSS ITALIAN BORDER TO FRANCE, SAYING: "The first time I was arrested it was with a gun, they had a gun in their hands. The police don't know who they're dealing with either so I understand both sides. And if they (the migrants) run off, you have to... If I tell them to remain calm, they have to trust me enough to remain calm." MINIBUS DRIVING ALONG ROAD TOURETTES-SUR-LOUP, FRANCE (FILE - OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) MIGRANTS GETTING OUT OF MINIBUS VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS WALKING TO HOUSE OF ANOTHER VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR OF ASSOCIATION "HOUSING AND CITIZENSHIP", HUBERT JOURDAN, GREETING MIGRANTS AT HIS HOME MIGRANTS AND VOLUNTEERS SITTING OUTSIDE JOURDAN'S HOME MIGRANT SERVING TEA MIGRANTS SITTING AROUND TABLE MIGRANT CUTTING CAKE (SOUNDBITE) (French) CO-ORDINATOR OF ASSOCIATION "HOUSING AND CITIZENSHIP", HUBERT JOURDAN, SAYING: "He (Herrou) brings them here and then our job is first of all to inform them of their right to asylum just about everywhere in Europe, and secondly to stop them going on to dead ends -- such as in Paris, where they will find themselves on the pavement with the 5,000 to 6,000 other people in the same situation, who are there most of the day with a mattress and the police behind them." MIGRANT ON PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) CO-ORDINATOR OF ASSOCIATION "HOUSING AND CITIZENSHIP", HUBERT JOURDAN, SAYING: "What I'm doing here is completely legal, I'm offering hospitality to people who are in a fragile situation." MIGRANTS WAITING TO RE-BOARD MINIBUS MIGRANTS WALKING TOWARDS MINIBUS VARIOUS OF HERROU SAYING GOODBYE TO MIGRANTS AS THEY ARE TRANSPORTED TO LES ARCS-DRAGUIGNAN TRAIN STATION DRIVER STARTING MINIBUS HERROU CLOSING DOOR OF MINIBUS MINIBUS LEAVING
- Embargoed: 8th December 2016 09:20
- Keywords: Ventimiglia refugees migrants border crisis Cedric Herrou trial court Nice
- Location: BREIL-SUR-ROYA, MENTON, TOURETTES-SUR-LOUP, FRANCE & ITALIAN / FRENCH BORDER
- City: BREIL-SUR-ROYA, MENTON, TOURETTES-SUR-LOUP, FRANCE & ITALIAN / FRENCH BORDER
- Country: France
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA00159NXYKN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French farmer Cedric Herrou was set to stand trial in Nice on Wednesday (November 23) for transporting migrants along mountainous roads across the border with Italy, helping them to avoid police controls.
Herrou may face five years in prison and a 30,000 euro fine if found guilty of the charge of aiding the unauthorised entry, transit and stay of illegal migrants.
In a foggy French valley surrounded by Italian territory, the 37-year-old egg farmer and a team of volunteers helped transport migrants from his home in Breil-sur-Roya, across the Italian border and back into France, taking routes typically neglected by border police.
Growing numbers of migrants had been gathering at the frontier between Italy's Ventimiglia and France's Menton, hoping to travel on to countries such as Britain and Germany.
"Here the migrants are in France, but they cannot get out of here because there are too many checks. So we've got them in Roya and there comes a point where we have to move them. Either way if we don't move them they will just set off themselves either by passing along the train tracks, or by the mountains, and going through the mountains to get to Nice takes several days on foot," he told Reuters in October.
News of Herrou's help spread by word of mouth among migrants, but he could only take around ten at a time. He made the journey three times a week.
Herrou estimated he had helped over 200 migrants to cross the border. In August, he was arrested by the police.
"The first time I was arrested it was with a gun, they had a gun in their hands. The police don't know who they're dealing with either so I understand both sides. And if they (the migrants) run off, you have to... If I tell them to remain calm, they have to trust me enough to remain calm," Herrou said.
Police did not follow up his arrest with any judicial proceedings, saying he had "humanitarian immunity" as he carried out his work on a purely voluntary basis. Herrou accepted no money or anything in return from the migrants, and he especially tried to help the minors among them.
Once over the border, the migrants were transported to a house in Tourettes-sur-Loup, where they were met with warm drinks and cakes by the association "Housing and Citizenship" as they waited for the onward part of their journey.
The migrants were then transported on to a train station in Les Arcs, where they were left to continue their onward journeys on their own. The group of migrants filmed in October successfully boarded a train headed for Paris, travelling on to various final destinations.
The volunteers said it is their role to do something to help them, as Europe struggles to find a coherent response to deal with the thousands of migrants arriving on its shores. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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