French authorities have evicted more than 400 migrants who had been living in a central Paris theater since December.
Police armed with batons entered the Gaite Lyrique venue early on Tuesday, while hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside to protest against the eviction of the migrants, many of whom were known to be unaccompanied minors.
Starting Dec 10, the migrants had taken shelter in the arts and concert venue to press their demands for housing, leading the Gaite Lyrique management to suspend its operations on Dec 17.
The trouble began when left-wing management staged a free conference on "rethinking the refugee welcome in France" on Dec 10 that many homeless migrants attended, reported Agence France-Presse. But when it came to an end, the migrants refused to leave and have been occupying the building ever since.
Since the building's takeover began, the situation has highlighted the ongoing tension between left-wing supporters fighting for migrants' welfare, and far-right organizations pushing for their deportation.
Some migrants were seen leaving the building carrying personal belongings, with several suitcases and bags remaining discarded on the pavement.
Demonstrators called on local authorities to provide sustainable housing to them rather than evict them. A huge banner draped on the theater read: "400 lives at risk, 80 jobs under threat".
"Shame, shame, shame to authorities who are at war with isolated minors," protesters shouted in front of the theater in solidarity with the migrants.
Police deployed tear gas at the start of their operation, and Reuters reported the removal had been completed without any major incidents or clashes.
However, Danielle Simonnet, a left-wing politician on-site to protest against the police action, described it as "extremely violent", and told AFP that officers had "hit and beaten" migrants, who she said were behaving "peacefully".
Demonstrators and migrants chanted slogans such as "we are all the children of migrants" as they were surrounded by police in riot gear.
Laurent Nunez, the Paris police prefect, authorized the clearance a day before the operation, describing the occupation as a threat to "public order". He said the young migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, would be given accommodation and their legal situation would be examined.
Migrant Dialo Aimmedou, who told Reuters he is 16 and had arrived in France in October 2024, said: "We had nowhere to go, we needed a shelter during the cold winter nights. So we had no choice but to occupy the Gaite Lyrique."
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told France Inter radio on Tuesday that the removal was necessary, and that emergency housing had been provided to the migrants.
"At this stage, this was the thing to do because the situation was becoming complex, difficult and unsafe inside," she said.
