Protest over migrants in France

Tension has been brewing in a northern France town after hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets demanding that authorities deal with the increasing number of migrants, a British daily reported Monday.

Hundreds of French riot police personnel were deployed to maintain peace in Calais, a major ferry port town in France, as far-right protestors, demanding that the town be "saved" from homeless migrants, clashed with left-wing supporters Sunday, The Independent reported.

"This situation is turning into a crisis and the government needs to do more," Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was quoted as saying by the daily.

Mayor Natacha Bouchart said the influx of migrants is draining resources from local residents. Last week, he had threatened to close the port - an illegal act.

An estimated 1,300 homeless migrants, mostly from the Horn of Africa, Sudan and Afghanistan live in Calais in the hope of travelling to Britain.

A video footage last week showed around 100 migrants breaking through security measures in an attempt to board a ferry bound for Britain.

France has recently seen a rise in extremism. A recent poll, published in the Financial Times, showed that Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far-right National Front, would beat incumbent President Hollande were France to go to polls now.

The next French election is in 2017.