Paris accused of “social cleansing” as 20,000 evicted ahead of Olympics

A coalition of over 100 community organisations has alleged that up to 20,000 people were forcibly removed from tent camps and shelters around Paris in the months leading up to the 2024 Olympic Games.

Between April 2023 and September 2024, some 19,526 individuals were displaced from informal housing as part of what the coalition describes as a “social cleansing” campaign by authorities, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The report acknowledges that some people were evicted multiple times, meaning individuals may have been counted more than once.

The city’s extensive preparations to host millions of spectators included major renovations and infrastructure projects, which the coalition claims led to the eviction of migrants and those occupying informal housing near Olympic venues.

Paul Alauzy, a Le Revers de la Médaille spokesperson, asserted that there is concrete evidence linking the displacements to Olympic preparations.

“There are images, internal government documents, and eviction orders that explicitly cite the Olympics as justification,” Alauzy said on November 4.

The report details a significant increase in eviction operations, with 260 taking place between April 2023 and September 2024, a 41% rise compared to the same period in 2021-2022. Among those affected, over 4,500 were minors, the report notes.

French authorities did not immediately respond to the report's findings. In preparation for the Games, Paris implemented stringent security measures, particularly for the unique opening ceremony along the Seine River, which required a QR code and intensive security checks for entry.

In August, Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Île-de-France region which includes Paris, stated in a radio interview that eviction rates had not risen due to the Olympics and that alternative accommodation had been offered to all displaced individuals.

French President Emmanuel Macron also addressed the issue in August, highlighting what he called the “social legacy” of the Olympics, stating that more than 200 previously homeless people who had lived around the venues now had permanent housing.

Le Revers de la Médaille is now calling for a re-evaluation of the Olympic hosting model. It has proposed establishing a permanent site for future Games, along with more sustainable practices to reduce the risk of forced displacements.

By Khagan Isayev