French police evacuate largest squat in Paris suburb 100 days ahead of Olympics

By Nur Asena Erturk

The French police evacuated on Wednesday a large squat in a Paris suburb 100 days ahead of the Olympics, according to media reports.

This was the largest squat in France, a disused factory in the suburb of Vitry-sur-Seine, which sheltered around 450 migrants, the broadcaster BFMTV said.

Some residents had already left over rumors of expulsion, it added.

Local authorities deployed around 250 security agents, BFMTV also said.

The French government and local authorities have faced criticism for displacing homeless people without offering a solution as the Paris Olympics approach.

Activist Paul Alauzy, a member of the association Le Revers de Medaille and the humanitarian group Medecins du Monde, said in October 2023 that the “social cleaning of Ile-de-France streets (a central region that includes Paris) has already started.”