Police forced their way into a 19th-century theatre in Paris on Tuesday morning, with the aim of evacuating hundreds of young migrants that have been occupying the venue for months. Demonstrators and migrants chanted slogans such as “we are all the children of migrants” as the police broke the cordons formed by activists.
Police charged the historic building early Tuesday amid protests from pro-migrant activists.
Police charged the historic building early Tuesday amid protests from pro-migrant activists. © Thibaud Moritz, AFP
Police on Tuesday evacuated hundreds of young migrants from a central Paris theatre they had occupied for months, AFP journalists said.
Police charged at the migrants, who had found shelter in the historic Gaite Lyrique venue, with batons as many people gathered outside to protest against the eviction, they said.
Shortly before 6am local time (5am GMT), members of the anti-riot CRS police forced their way through cordons that activists had formed to prevent them from entering the venue.
But in chaotic and turbulent scenes police forced their way into the 19th-century theatre, which is famous for performances of opera, operetta and ballet and which had cancelled all performances during the three-month occupation by migrants demanding food and shelter.
