The initial nineteen tents have doubled to thirty-eight thanks to donations collected daily just above the beach by two activists eager to inform passersby about the movement and to invite them to sign the petition supporting the charter established by the Children of Don Quixote. A total of 687 tents would be set up across the country. This charter includes six simple articles:
1. Keep shelters open 24/7, 365 days a year, and humanize reception conditions.
2. All shelter admissions should lead to a stable solution.
3. Create an immediate supply of temporary housing.
4. Build more social housing accessible to the poorest households.
5. Develop alternative forms of living.
6. Make the right to housing enforceable throughout the territory.
On January 8, Augustin Legrand, one of the founders of the Children of Don Quixote seemed satisfied with the promises made by Prime Minister Villepin and the Minister of Social Cohesion Borloo and called for a gradual dismantling of the tents. Having since gone to South Africa to shoot a film, his brother Jean-Baptiste appeared more circumspect, as did many activists from the social emergency sector and the homeless population themselves housed in tents at the Canal Saint-Martin.
In Nice, spokespersons believe that dismantling the tents is not currently feasible. The camp is gradually organizing; besides the number of tents, a large tent serving as a gathering point was donated by Emmaus, tables were set up, utensils were found, etc. In short, the movement’s spokespersons and the homeless do not plan to relocate anytime soon.
Several meetings have already taken place with the City Hall. Today’s meeting agenda focuses only on the issue of moving the camp to the Plaine du Var, which has repeatedly been rejected by the collective. The situation is unlikely to see much change for the time being. Moreover, the collective has submitted several cases of homeless individuals to the City Hall services, awaiting a viable rehousing solution for each case, a condition, among others, for the dismantling of the camp. The City Hall has provided no response; “it wants to let the movement decay,” asserts one activist, but “only a storm will drive us from the beach, which the City Hall eagerly awaits,” adds another activist.
Furthermore, another meeting is being held today among local actors in this sector, namely the Red Cross, Emmaus, and others, to federate goodwill and establish a possible common stance at both the national and local levels. The stakes are many; there are real possibilities for the movement to gain momentum; however, the probability of deterioration and fatigue also exists.
The future of the movement will depend on the announcements made at the institutional level, but especially on the actions implemented by these same institutions in collaboration with field actors. It will also depend on the media coverage, whether constant or not, that is given to this initiative.
