French theatre on brink of bankruptcy after 250 migrants REFUSE to leave following free refugee conference
WATCH: Migrants massing along the northern coast of France just before Christmas Day
GB News
Around 300 African migrants continue to occupy Paris's Gaîté Lyrique theatre - five weeks after refusing to leave following a refugee conference held at the venue.
The occupation, which began on December 10, has forced the cancellation of all performances until January 24 at the historically significant 19th-century building.
The theatre company - known for its radical, leftist programming - faces a severe financial crisis due to the ongoing occupation, with all performances cancelled and revenue streams disrupted.
The venue, which relies on ticket sales for 70 per cent of its income, is struggling to meet overhead costs, including wages for its 60 employees.
However, the theatre management stated it would be "unthinkable for the Gaïté Lyrique to throw these people out onto the street in the middle of winter".
Around 300 African migrants continue to occupy Paris's Gaîté Lyrique theatre - five weeks after refusing to leave following a refugee conference held at the venue
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The theatre's income has "collapsed" according to management, threatening its ability to maintain operations while balancing humanitarian concerns.
The situation has sparked tensions among local businesses, theatre management and city officials.
The takeover began during a conference titled "Reinventing the welcome for refugees in France", which was staged free of charge at the theatre.
More than 250 African migrants attended the event after being guided to the venue by Parisian activists described as "even more left-wing than the theatre's management".
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The migrants listened to presentations from prominent French academics and senior Red Cross officials during the conference.
When the event concluded, the attendees refused to leave the building. Their numbers have since grown from the initial 250 to approximately 300 people.
Daily life at the occupied theatre is marked by general assemblies, signalled by the beating of a tam-tam on the building's steps.
Protesters use megaphones to shout slogans, creating what has been described as a noisy and festive atmosphere.
The situation has become particularly challenging for Paris's Socialist-led council, which owns the building.
When the event concluded, the attendees refused to leave the building. Their numbers have since grown from the initial 250 to approximately 300 people
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The council claims to have searched for alternative accommodation for the migrants without success, while seeking government intervention.
President Macron's minority centrist cabinet has thus far declined to become involved in the matter.
Local businesses near the theatre have reported significant disruption, with the Bistrot De La Gaïté particularly affected by the occupation.
The bistro's manager Elia, whose parents emigrated from Algeria to France, said the restaurant has lost approximately €30,000 in revenue since the occupation began.
"They are ruining my business," she said. "They hang around outside my terrace, smoking joints and fighting among themselves."
Daily life at the occupied theatre is marked by general assemblies, signalled by the beating of a tam-tam on the building's steps
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"Not only do we no longer get theatregoers because the theatre is shut but we don't get passers-by either. They're being frightened away by all these young men," Elia added.
The migrants occupying the theatre all initially claimed to be under 18 years old, which would have entitled them to housing and support from local authorities.
However, officials determined they were adults following age assessments, leading many to sleep rough before activists directed them to the Gaîté Lyrique.
The Collectif des Jeunes du Parc de Belleville, the activist group coordinating the occupation, has denounced the age testing as "racist and expeditive".
The group, named after a Parisian park where the migrants previously camped, says the theatre has become a focal point for the "antiracist and anticolonial struggle".
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