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Paris Police Clear Migrant-Occupied Theater After Months of Standoff

The evacuation of the Gaîté lyrique theater, occupied since December by hundreds of migrants citing lack of housing, involved tear gas and arrests, prompting criticism and protests.

Widerstand gegen die Räumung nach drei Monaten
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Zwei französische Polizisten in gepanzerter Uniform führen einen Migranten ab, der zuvor noch das Pariser Gaîté lyrique-Theater besetzt gehalten hatte
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Overview

  • Paris police forcibly removed approximately 450 migrants from the Gaîté lyrique theater, occupied since December 2024 due to a housing crisis.
  • The operation, which began early on March 18, 2025, involved tear gas and batons, resulting in nine injuries, including six migrants.
  • Authorities offered temporary housing to the migrants, but most refused, with some facing potential deportation after arrests.
  • Criticism of the police's actions came from left-wing groups and activists, who described the operation as excessively violent, while officials defended it as necessary for public order.
  • The theater's closure during the occupation caused financial losses for nearby businesses and highlighted broader tensions over migrant integration and housing in Paris.