Hundreds evicted from France’s biggest squat months before Paris Olympics
Police have evicted hundreds of people from the biggest squat in France, in a southern suburb of Paris, prompting fresh accusations from charities that authorities are seeking to clear refugees, asylum seekers and homeless people from the capital area before the Olympics.
The squat, in an abandoned bus company headquarters in Vitry-sur-Seine, had been home to up to 450 people, many of whom had refugee status, legal paperwork and jobs in France, but who could not find proper housing. As they left the building they were encouraged to board buses to other parts of France.
The early morning eviction by police in riot gear began just as France celebrated the milestone of 100 days until the start of the Paris Games. Charities have said the state and authorities want to clear homeless people from the streets and squats to make Paris and its suburbs look better for the event, which begins on 26 July.
Clutching their belongings, 300 people left the squat at Vitry-sur-Seine calmly as about 250 police and gendarmes arrived. More than 100 others had left before dawn. Buses waited outside, ready to take people to the central city of Orléans or the south-western city of Bordeaux.
