Despite the receding waters of the Seine, the Paris police prefecture issued an order on Wednesday, March 6 to evacuate the homeless people from the banks of the Seine. Homeless individuals are no longer allowed to set up encampments under the bridges in Paris. The prefecture of police in Paris issued an order on Wednesday, March 6 to evacuate “the occupants of encampments set up irregularly on the banks of the Seine in Paris.” The authorities do not specify specific areas, so by definition, all the banks of the Seine are concerned. The police prefecture justifies the order by citing the rising waters of the Seine and the Vigicrues bulletin from the previous day. The water level of the Seine has been rising for several days and reached 4 meters on the night of Tuesday, March 5 to Wednesday, March 6. It has now begun to slowly recede. The police prefecture specifies that approximately 420 people are affected by this order, which is the number of individuals identified by the city of Paris social services. Tents of homeless people set up around the Sully bridge had already been evacuated during the night of Monday, March 4 to Tuesday, March 5 due to the rising waters of the Seine. The Paris city hall regrets this order. A decision that has not gone unnoticed by associations and the Paris city hall. Utopia 56 denounces the order and believes that “the pre-JO manhunt has begun”. The association stated on Wednesday, March 6 that “in reality, the police prefecture waited for the waters to recede before expelling these young individuals. Consequently, according to Article 223-6 of the Penal Code, the police prefect risks 5 years in prison and a fine of 75,000€.” On Wednesday evening, the association is in front of the Paris city hall with some of the homeless individuals. “These young people are exhausted, a solution must be found immediately,” said Utopia 56. No shelter is planned, denounced the collective “Le Revers de la médaille,” which includes around 80 French associations and NGOs, as well as Canadian organizations defending social rights, as reported by AFP. On the other hand, Léa Filoche, deputy mayor in charge of solidarity and emergency accommodation, also reacted to denounce this decision. “It is no longer necessary to resort to an order and apply it using force (…), since the installations are not and will not be in danger. Such an operation (…) requires assistance and not just relocation,” she explained to BFM Paris Ile-de-France. Alicia Foricher and Maxime Cliet Ruzza
