On the eve of the Olympic Games, to be held in Paris, more than 12,000 homeless people have been evicted. Since April of last year, a “cleanup” has been underway in the French capital, during which 12,545 people were evicted, including those seeking shelter, families with children, people in difficult situations, drug addicts, and sex workers.
How the authorities are tackling the problem
The evicted people were transported to settlements near Paris, where special temporary accommodation centers were established. However, social workers criticize such a decision by the authorities, stating that it simply hides the problem. One of the activists noted: “If this were truly a dignified solution to the problem, people would be fighting to get on those buses. But they’re not. We’re making life impossible for them and those who support them.”
Although such measures may seem harsh, it’s worth remembering: the eviction of the homeless is a common practice in many countries ahead of large international events, but it often stays off the radar of global media.
Reaction of the local government
The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, is also not entirely happy with this approach. She stated that the city hall had asked the government to develop a reliable accommodation plan for approximately 3,600 people who have been living on the streets of the capital for years. Hidalgo stressed that no one can be forced to leave the city. She expressed outrage that this is being passed onto city authorities: “This is not our role and not our responsibility, and we are already doing more than we can to find emergency housing for vulnerable groups of people. Every week we rehouse families in buildings”.
Social cleansing and the Olympic Games
It should be noted that the cities of France participating in the Olympic Games have undergone a “social cleanse”, aimed at hiding poverty. Prior to the Olympics, homeless camps are being actively removed from Paris. The Daily Mail reports this.
Appeal to Ukrainian athletes
Over 200 Ukrainian athletes have signed an open letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, French Minister of Sports Amelie Oudea-Castera, and the head of the Organizing Committee for the 2024 Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet. They are asking to block the possibility of Russians, who support the war, from participating in the Olympics in Paris.
These actions and measures evoke ambivalent reactions and criticism from the public, activists, and local authorities, questioning the effectiveness and humanity of this approach to solving the problem of homelessness.
