Paris: Over 200 homeless individuals, including nearly 90 children, spent Tuesday night outside Paris City Hall, calling for access to emergency shelter. The demonstration, organized by migrant support group Utopia 56, highlighted the urgent need for accommodation.

According to Anadolu Agency, the protest, which began on Tuesday evening, continued into Wednesday morning. Utopia 56 reported that half of the demonstrators were children, all forced to sleep on the ground with only sleeping bags and blankets due to the scarcity of available shelter.

Fatuma Ali, a Somali refugee residing in France since 2018, shared her plight of being evicted five months ago due to a lack of space, despite previously receiving housing from social services. "Since then, I haven't been able to find shelter. I sleep on the street or on the night bus with my children," she expressed.

Yan Manzi, the general delegate of Utopia 56, emphasized that the group will persist with the protest until housing is provided. Volunteers from the organization are actively seeking emergency shelter for vulnerable families who are often turned away from standard facilities. Utopia 56 also noted that the situation becomes more critical during the summer months as public services slow down and available shelter options decrease.

In response, the City of Paris stated that shelters continue to operate year-round for families in need, housing over 1,000 individuals eligible for state care in municipal facilities, including converted gyms. The city also urged the French government to assume responsibility for providing adequate care for these individuals.

Meanwhile, the Ile-de-France regional province, responsible for shelter allocation, refuted claims of any closures of emergency housing facilities during the summer.