World Bulletin / News Desk

French riot police have sprayed asylum seekers with a chemical irritant as they tried to storm the Channel Tunnel.

The refugees, who broke down several security fences late Saturday, were forced to back down by riot police as they tried to breach the final fence near the entrance of the 50-kilometer tunnel under the English Channel in a report in AP.

Around 200 refugees faced off for close to an hour with security forces, chanting slogans including: "Open the border" and "We are not animals."

Thousands of migrants have been scaling fences near the tunnel, often referred to as the Chunnel, in recent weeks, trying to jump onto freight trains or trucks destined for Britain. One man was fatally crushed by a truck.

Most of the refugees have fled war, dictatorship and poverty in Africa and the Middle East, entering Europe Greece or Italy before heading north. Many think Britain offers the best prospects, because of the English language, welfare benefits and the ease of getting a job.