In preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, hundreds of migrants and homeless individuals were escorted onto buses on Thursday, amid a significant police presence. Carrying their belongings and children, they were relocated from the streets of Paris to temporary accommodations on the outskirts of the city.
Government Actions and Public Reaction
This relocation effort, funded by the French government, is part of a broader strategy to clear Paris of encampments before the Olympic festivities begin. The majority of those moved are African migrants, now uncertain about their future once the Games conclude.
Nikki, a 47-year-old homeless Parisian, expressed uncertainty about her next steps. “It’s like poker. I don’t know where I will go, or how much time I will stay,” she said, requesting anonymity for privacy.
Isolation Concerns and Ongoing Protests
For months, French authorities have been dismantling encampments in anticipation of the international event. This week’s bus relocation followed three days of protests by migrants and homeless individuals, who camped outside a local government office, demanding better housing options.
Among the protesters was Natasha Louise Gbetie, a 36-year-old migrant from Burkina Faso, with her one-year-old son. Ms. Gbetie, who migrated to France five years ago, has struggled to find stable employment and housing. Her situation worsened as social housing access diminished and hostel prices soared in the lead-up to the Olympics.
“I think France is saturated. They’re tired of migrants, they want us to leave their country,” Ms. Gbetie said, reflecting on the growing anti-immigrant sentiment.
Families Relocated, Future Uncertain
The protesting group eventually agreed to board buses to a nearby province, ensuring families would stay together in shelters. However, protest leaders worry this move might isolate migrants and leave the future of the city’s homeless uncertain.
Ms. Gbetie expressed concerns for her son, Richard, despite his French birth. “We have children who are French. They will be the future engineers and executives of this country. Think of them first and, for now, forget about the Olympics,” she urged.
Activists Rally at Place de la République
On the eve of the Olympics’ grand opening, activists gathered at Place de la République to voice their dissent. Various associations, including Revers de la Médaille, organized a Counter Opening Ceremony, highlighting the social costs of the Games.
Paul Alauzy, a spokesman for the group, criticized the authorities’ actions. “Even in these past weeks there was an archway under a subway line where people were sleeping and they put a wall of cement to stop people coming back,” he said. He also mentioned the installation of concrete blocks with spikes in certain areas to prevent the return of homeless individuals.
Protest Banners and Slogans
Activists displayed a giant banner reading “JO de l’exclusion, 12,500 personnes éxpulsées” (The Games of Exclusion, 12,500 evicted) and chanted “Shame, shame, shame” as smoke canisters in the colors of the Olympic rings were set off. Other banners denounced France’s housing crisis and called for the extinguishment of the Olympic flame, with one depicting President Emmanuel Macron handcuffed by the Olympic rings.
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