Paris’ historic Théâtre de la Gaîté Lyrique might not have been so welcoming of hordes of young migrants to which it initially provided humanitarian—and, it believed, temporary—refuge in December last year had it known the eventually 450-strong group would show its thanks by staging an illegal occupation.
Only in the early hours of the morning of Tuesday, March 18th, more than three months on, did the police finally force the group off the theatre’s grounds, though not without firm opposition from the left.
Le Figaro reports that “several dozen activists” supporting the occupation resisted the removal, including—as BFM TV adds—by “surrounding” officers. These were forced back by the use of tear gas, and police have been present at the scene since.
Online too, do-gooders attacked the decision to allow this business to return to… business, including leftwing MP Éric Coquerel, who declared
shame on a government that uses batons against more than 400 unaccompanied minors at the Gaîté Lyrique, rather than offering them decent rehousing solutions.
Coquerel appears to be unaware that officials have been on-site offering accommodation. Indeed, Paris councillor Aurélien Véron today told the press that the migrants will be housed in Orléans and the provinces.
Les migrants expulsés de la Gaité Lyrique vont être envoyés à Orléans et en province avoue l'élu LR Aurélien Veron pic.twitter.com/GxkbV5ViTg
— Fdesouche.com est une revue de presse (@F_Desouche) March 18, 2025
Journalist Patrick Cohen also asked why the authorities decided to crack down on the migrants who, in his words, “weren’t bothering anyone.”
All of the Gaîté Lyrique’s events have been cancelled since December 17th, costing the institution hundreds of thousands of euros. Other local businesses have been badly affected by the occupation, too, including the only nearby restaurant which last week said it was “losing thousands of euros every day.” The owner added, however, that she was loath to say much about the unbothersome squatters because
I’ve had death threats from the anarchists behind all of this.
Perhaps Cohen will now allow the group to occupy the front of his own home—or, at the very least, his workplace.
