Dramatic photos have shown the “Jungle” refugee camp at Calais ablaze after protests turned nasty overnight.
Tensions were high in the French site after officials began dismantling shelters on Tuesday.
Some residents began angrily setting fire to tents during the day and blazes continued into the night...
Police tear gas was used to disperse those hurling rocks at demolition squads and some people were seen climbing on top of makeshifts shelters.
The action prompted more desperate people to try and cross over to Britain by jumping on board lorries under the cover of darkness.
Authorities had received permission from a court in France to begin bulldozing large parts of the camp last week.
A judge ordered the eviction of around 1,000 migrants and refugees, but spared their "communal facilities" such as churches, mosques and schools from being flattened in the raid that began yesterday.
More than a dozen humanitarian organisations condemned authorities for "brutality" during the eviction of those living in the Jungle, the Associated Press reported.
Organisations respected for their humanitarian work with migrants, such as Auberge des Migrants (Migrants' Shelter), GISTI and Secours Catholique were among the 14 who signed the list of charges.
The regional prefecture in charge of the demolition says the hundreds of police present are needed to protect workers in the tear-down and state employees advising migrants of their options.
France's government has offered to relocate uprooted migrants into heated containers nearby or to centres around France where they can decide whether or not to apply for asylum. Officials have blamed activists from the group No Borders for the ongoing unrest. But many people resist French offers of help, afraid of hurting their chances of reaching Britain.