The Utopia 56 volunteer association said on Twitter that about 450 migrants, left in the streets after the dismantlement of the Saint-Denis camp last week, gathered in the square on Monday.
According to a Sputnik correspondent, by 22:00 local time (21:00 GMT) on Monday, police had completely cleared the Place de la Republique square, where migrants had set up tents. Some of the tents were taken away by the migrants themselves, while the rest were confiscated.
#SputnikVidéo | Des tensions place de la #République: les forces de l'ordre tentent de déloger les migrants et les militants https://t.co/zMC9wdscAz pic.twitter.com/jac3eacfOm
— Sputnik France (@sputnik_fr) November 23, 2020
"A group of numerous people gathered on the Place de la Republique, setting up tents. The installment of such camps organised by certain associations, is not acceptable. The police prefecture therefore immediately took action to disperse this illicit occupation of public space", the police headquarters said in a statement late on Monday night.
#SputnikVidéo | La situation est tendue place de la #République à #Paris https://t.co/zMC9wdscAz pic.twitter.com/Ont1JAnU6C
— Sputnik France (@sputnik_fr) November 23, 2020
Officers also used tear gas to disperse the protesters.
#SputnikVidéo | La police utilise des gaz lacrymogèneshttps://t.co/zMC9wdscAz pic.twitter.com/4YoXg1hCQf
— Sputnik France (@sputnik_fr) November 23, 2020
Utopia 56 said on Twitter that the tents were given to the migrants by aid associations and collectives, using donations from citizens. "Tonight, more than 500 tents and 1,000 blankets had been provided by Utopia 56", the volunteer group tweeted on Monday evening.
Hôtel de Ville de #Paris maintenant : des groupes bloqués par les forces de l'ordre, d'autres pourchassés. Plusieurs grenades de désencerclement lancées. Nous sommes encerclés par la police pic.twitter.com/wMtqPNMkF5
— Utopia 56 (@Utopia_56) November 23, 2020
Earlier this month, French police dismantled a migrant camp in Paris's northern suburb of Saint-Denis, evacuating some 2,500 refugees and homeless people. According to media reports, the first tents in the migrant settlement were set up in early fall but the camp quickly expanded over a few months before it was dismantled on 17 November.
