Police have begun a large-scale eviction of a Paris theatre which had been taken over by hundreds of migrants.
The Gaite Lyrique theatre in the centre of the French capital had been occupied by as many as 400 immigrants for months - and now, legions of officers have arrived on the scene to remove them.
Police laden with riot gear began arriving shortly before 6am local time, but have been met by crowds of protesters trying to halt the evictions.
The migrants call themselves the "Collectif des jeunes du Parc de Belleville", and are protesting against the French Government for "ignoring" and "abandoning" them.
They had arrived at the Gaite Lyrique on December 10 for a "refugee conference", but failed to leave - forcing the cancellation of its performances and driving it to the brink of bankruptcy.
Last night, protesters gathered outside the theatre to demonstrate against the impending evictions - with the group inside declaring that "the solution is not to move us elsewhere".
Back in January, GB News reported on how the left-wing venue, which relies on ticket sales for 70 per cent of its income, was struggling to meet overhead costs, including wages for its 60 employees.
But in the face of its financial woes, its management vowed that it would be "unthinkable for the Gaite Lyrique to throw these people out onto the street in the middle of winter".
In the lead-up to the December conference, 250 African migrants had been guided to the venue by Parisian activists described as "even more left-wing than the theatre's management".
MORE MIGRANT CHAOS IN FRANCE:
While in the aftermath, nearby businesses have been forced to endure significant disruption, with local restaurant the Bistrot De La Gaite particularly affected by the occupation.
The bistro's manager Elia, whose own parents emigrated from Algeria to France, said the restaurant has lost approximately €30,000 (£25,000) in revenue since the occupation began.
"They are ruining my business," she said. "They hang around outside my terrace, smoking joints and fighting among themselves."
In February, the Gaite Lyrique was eventually forced to issue a "last-chance plea for help" from authorities.
A statement from the venue on February 26 said: "The situation in the building is at a tipping point, with untenable overcrowded resulting in increasingly severe and frequent violence.
"The fire alarm has been set off several times over the last few days.
"The most recent serious incident was a fire started in the occupied areas on February 21, which required the intervention of the Paris fire department and the national police.
"We call on the City of Paris, cultural actors, representatives from the social and solidary economy, civil society, and the government to support a common vision, shared values, and efforts to work together and take collective action."
Find Out More...
The Gaite Lyrique theatre in the centre of the French capital had been occupied by as many as 400 immigrants for months - and now, legions of officers have arrived on the scene to remove them.
Police laden with riot gear began arriving shortly before 6am local time, but have been met by crowds of protesters trying to halt the evictions.
The migrants call themselves the "Collectif des jeunes du Parc de Belleville", and are protesting against the French Government for "ignoring" and "abandoning" them.
They had arrived at the Gaite Lyrique on December 10 for a "refugee conference", but failed to leave - forcing the cancellation of its performances and driving it to the brink of bankruptcy.
Last night, protesters gathered outside the theatre to demonstrate against the impending evictions - with the group inside declaring that "the solution is not to move us elsewhere".
Back in January, GB News reported on how the left-wing venue, which relies on ticket sales for 70 per cent of its income, was struggling to meet overhead costs, including wages for its 60 employees.
But in the face of its financial woes, its management vowed that it would be "unthinkable for the Gaite Lyrique to throw these people out onto the street in the middle of winter".
In the lead-up to the December conference, 250 African migrants had been guided to the venue by Parisian activists described as "even more left-wing than the theatre's management".
MORE MIGRANT CHAOS IN FRANCE:
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While in the aftermath, nearby businesses have been forced to endure significant disruption, with local restaurant the Bistrot De La Gaite particularly affected by the occupation.
The bistro's manager Elia, whose own parents emigrated from Algeria to France, said the restaurant has lost approximately €30,000 (£25,000) in revenue since the occupation began.
"They are ruining my business," she said. "They hang around outside my terrace, smoking joints and fighting among themselves."
In February, the Gaite Lyrique was eventually forced to issue a "last-chance plea for help" from authorities.
A statement from the venue on February 26 said: "The situation in the building is at a tipping point, with untenable overcrowded resulting in increasingly severe and frequent violence.
"The fire alarm has been set off several times over the last few days.
"The most recent serious incident was a fire started in the occupied areas on February 21, which required the intervention of the Paris fire department and the national police.
"We call on the City of Paris, cultural actors, representatives from the social and solidary economy, civil society, and the government to support a common vision, shared values, and efforts to work together and take collective action."
Find Out More...