For the Olympics, France Buses Homeless People and Migrants Out of Paris

Hundreds of individuals who had been sleeping on the streets of Paris, many of them carrying backpacks and small children, boarded busses surrounded by armed police on Thursday. This group of migrants and homeless people is the most recent to be pushed out of the city in advance of the 2024 Olympic opening ceremony.

The majority African migrants boarded busses provided by the French government and made their way to the city’s outskirts, where they found temporary housing that would last at least until the end of the Games. Even though some homeless people were grateful for a roof over their heads for the night, not everyone was aware of what would happen when everyone’s attention was diverted from Paris.

It is comparable to poker. In order to preserve her privacy, Nikki, a 47-year-old homeless Parisian, requested that her last name not be used. “I don’t know where I will go, or how much time I will stay,” she added.

Prior to the huge international sporting event, which is significant for President Emmanuel Macron at a time of political unrest, French authorities have been demolishing homeless and migrant camps for months.

However, the Games have also drawn criticism, with Parisians voicing their displeasure over a range of issues, including increased public transportation costs and government spending on Seine River cleanup rather than social safety net investments.