France orders evacuation of Paris migrant camp amid standoff with City Hall

23 May, 2018 07:23 / Updated 6 years ago

An evacuation of some 2,300 migrants camped in Paris has been ordered by France’s Interior Minister Gerard Collomb. The move comes amid a standoff with City Hall over how to resolve the long-running issue. Collomb said in a statement Wednesday that he ordered police to work out an evacuation operation soon that would “reconcile” the demands of a tough new immigration law and appeals by aid groups to give the migrants shelter. Tent camps have mushroomed in recent weeks along canals in eastern and northeastern Paris, raising concerns for safety and public hygiene. Two migrants drowned this month, AP reported. Mayor Anne Hidalgo has appealed to the government for help. The city has already cleared out some 28,000 migrants from Paris camps since 2015. Collomb criticized City Hall for refusing to evacuate them and urged a long-term plan for migrants streaming regularly into the French capital.