The squat located at 24 rue Beaumont perfectly illustrates the hypocrisy of politics. For the mayor of Nice, the main goal is to convey a message of security under the guise of legality, voters will appreciate that! As for his communist opponent, it’s a good opportunity to indict Europe. Commonplace, isn’t it? But, Europe is an easy scapegoat…
The motivations are always the same like an old vinyl record we’ve listened to a thousand times!
Migrants have always existed, and for various reasons, to which their home states are not strangers, they migrate. Moreover, they are also called “Travelers.”
No one wants them. So, what do we do? Of course, we wouldn’t want to resort to certain solutions… Fortunately, our humanitarianism would prevent us, even if some are considering it!
For now, as when we don’t know what to do, we readily give the floor to the State… There are circumstances that are very useful, even essential, to pull chestnuts out of the fire!
Pointing out problems is easy, solving them is much less so… Such is life!
Statement by the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi
“This unlawful situation causes numerous disturbances to the people of Nice, particularly to those in the Riquier-République district, in terms of peace, security, and public sanitation (illegal occupation of public roads, littering).
Aware of this unacceptable reality, I have been actively mobilized since January to put an end to this situation. I regret the worsening of the situation with, for example, the start of a fire on Wednesday night in the said squat, which could have had very severe consequences.
However, we encounter difficulties due to the fact that this squat is on private property and the city of Nice cannot therefore undertake specific procedures.
That said, the owner of this property has legitimately and swiftly initiated legal proceedings to obtain an eviction decision, an essential prerequisite before any intervention by law enforcement. However, after summons, not without difficulties, he obtained a summary hearing on September 9th.
That is why I am sending copies of reports from various city services to the President of the District Court, demonstrating the urgent need to intervene, and consequently, I hope to be heard on the importance of advancing the summary hearing date.
I regret that French law protects people who usurp private property, an inalienable right attached to the French Republic. This reality is all the more unacceptable considering that a number of our fellow citizens are in a state of great precariousness and that France is undergoing an unprecedented economic crisis.”
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Statement by the General Councilor of the district, Jacques Victor (PC)
“I hereby want to alert you to the indignity endured by the families occupying the squat located at 24, rue Beaumont in Nice and the dangers and tensions it creates, as shown by the explosion that occurred on Wednesday night.
More than twenty people, including many children, crowded into 50 m² without running water, with dangling electrical wires—this highlights the urgency and severity of this case, already emphasized by the Neighborhood Committee President.
The exasperation of the residents is perfectly understandable and legitimate, but it underscores the responsibilities the State must assume to ensure a dignified reception of these migrant families in line with the Republic’s values.
A local representative of the Rom communities has even suggested reasonable and responsible solutions to address this urgency, notably by schooling the children while seeking accommodation solutions that ensure the hygiene and safety of the families concerned.
I urgently ask you to do everything possible for State services to work towards dignified solutions, relying if necessary on the local representatives of the Rom communities who have volunteered to contribute, to evacuate this building as soon as possible where hygiene and safety conditions undermine human dignity and pose a clear disturbance to public order and the peace of the residents.
But I refuse to howl with the wolves of demagogy who stigmatize these migrant populations by pointing an accusatory finger, the same ones who, notably in the National Assembly, support the worsening austerity policies within the European Union, the primary cause of deteriorating living conditions that fuel migration flows.
This European Union that does nothing to take into account this issue of migration flows[…] I still hope that the State, of which you are the local representative, will also address it.”
Jacques VICTOR, General Councilor
