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Pope Francis has referred to Europe's refugee crisis as an 'Arab invasion' but said 'it's a good thing'.

The pope was addressing an audience of French Christians when he claimed the 'invasion' was a 'social fact'.

The pontiff also cited other invasions Europe has experienced over history, Bloomberg reports.

Pope Francis was quoted in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore saying: "Today we can talk about an Arab invasion. It is a social fact.”

He then added that Europe has always been able "to go forward and find itself enhanced by the exchange among cultures."

Tensions are high in Europe because of the refugee crisis.

Earlier this week French riot police fired tear gas as demolition teams moved in to start dismantling makeshift homes at the Calais migrant camp known as The Jungle.

(Image: PA)

Tear gas was used reportedly in response to stone throwers at the slum - home to around 4,000 people, many of whom are intent on reaching Britain.

British volunteers condemned the response from the French authorities as it emerged that water cannon had also been sent into the site.

Read more:Jude Law's minders attacked by Calais Jungle migrants during charity visit

Tanya Freedman, of Help Refugees , said: "We're very disappointed because the French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve insisted in a public statement that the clearance would be done in a humane fashion.

"On the first major day of dismantling, this is the way they are going about things."

Lines of police vans gathered on the perimeter of the southern section and people were prevented from going on to the site.

(Image: Reuters)

The action came after a judge in Lille ruled last Thursday that a partial clearance should go ahead, apart from social spaces including schools and places of worship.

Read more:Calais Jungle camp evictions could see more than 1,000 people left without homes

French authorities want to relocate people from the squalid, rat-infested site to heated containers nearby or to centres around France.

Campaigners had called for a postponement to remove people from the slum, saying there was not enough new accommodation for people to move to.