The police evacuated on Tuesday January 11 in Rouen the squatters of a former student home for the needs of a real estate project that the elected environmentalists wish to prevent, AFP learned Tuesday from corroborating sources.
“
About fifteen people slept there.
There was at least one family with two small children.
The people evicted were either precarious people without stable housing or asylum seekers awaiting papers
, ”lawyer Chloé Chalot, who defends the occupants, told an AFP correspondent.
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The police confirmed to AFP the evacuation of the place.
"
The eviction took place in peace, it was stretched once outside the building with the use of tear gas
," added Me Chalot.
Eight people, including two expelled, were taken into custody before being released at the end of the day with a reminder of the law, according to the lawyer.
"Serious danger to people"
On December 17, the Rouen Court of Appeal ordered the eviction of any occupant from January 10. The EELV-Rouen group, member of the municipal majority, denounced in a press release “
the unworthy expulsion
” of “
families who had found refuge during this period of winter truce
” in this place called “
the Joyful Gardens
”. "
The police have carried out the expulsion without care (...) Since June, however, this place has been living with the idea of creating an alternative project to the concreteization and destruction of heritage
", the press release continues. . Asked by AFP, the vice-president of the metropolis expressed his "
anger
".
For his part, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, PS president of the metropolis and mayor of Rouen, did not wish to react.
According to the judgment of the Court of Appeal, the owners of the premises, the French real estate company and Sedelka, "
demonstrate
" that they "
present a serious danger to people
", several buildings of the place "
threatening ruin
".
According to a building permit dated October 2019, Sedelka plans to build 97 housing units and rehabilitate 27 others.
EELV accuses the promoter of "
preparing to destroy without batting an eyelid a heritage gem by condemning the magnificent garden
" of the former home.