French Police Evict Migrant Camp in Paris, Reports Reuters

PARIS (Reuters) – Early on Tuesday, police cleared approximately 300 migrants from a makeshift refugee camp located by Porte de la Chapelle in northern Paris, relocating them to official shelters across the city.

The migrants had been residing in tents under a bridge adjacent to the “Peripherique” ring road, which encompasses the city’s 20 districts, and they agreed to move.

Primarily hailing from Africa and Afghanistan, the refugees gathered their tents and belongings before boarding coaches for their transfer.

“They will undergo a medical check, and then we will assess their administrative status. Based on their rights, they will be sent to appropriate centers,” explained local official Bruno Andre.

French authorities have consistently dismantled migrant camps in Paris and along the northern coast. Notably, in late October 2016, a large migrant camp near Calais was demolished; it had been a focal point for refugees attempting to enter Britain covertly.

Last year saw a significant increase in the number of individuals trying to reach Britain compared to 2017; however, this still represented a small portion of those attempting to enter European Union territory via the Mediterranean from northern Africa and Turkey. French officials maintain a strict stance to deter people from returning to the northern coast.

Europe has been grappling with a migrant crisis since 2015, largely resulting from conflicts in Libya and Syria, with over 1 million individuals from Africa and the Middle East seeking to reach the continent through Turkey or maritime routes.