58 persons removed from a squat in down town Angers

Fifty eight persons have been removed in the early morning of june 8th from a squat where they lived since autumn 2009, at Port de l'Ancre street, down town Angers. These persons are asylum seekers, coming from countries of eastern Africa. All have been rehoused in ten flats belonging to social housing organizations in Angers and Saumur. The place will be used for social housing.

The process, under police supervision, and watched by a group of help to undocumented persons, was peaceful, as testified by Patrick Bouchardon, head of prefect cabinet. The asylum seekers got a social and legal assistance from state and local services and looked "relieved" according to witnesses. Two others squats of Angers located in Verneau and La Roseraie districts, will be closed and their occupants, about 150 persons (native of east europeans countries of which Rumania) removed soon.

But the difficulties could not be solved nevertheless. "We can welcome 480 asylum seekers per year", points out Richard Samuel, prefect of Maine et Loire. "But, in 2009, we recorded quite the double". If the housing problem is ok for a while, many associations who help refugees are in trouble. In march the workers of Point accueil Angers solidarité withdrawed from their office and last week the Secours populaire closed its doors overwhelmed by the demand.

(From : http://www.angers.maville.com/actu/actudet_-58-demandeurs-d-asile-reloges-en-appartements_loc-1404116_actu.Htm and Le Courrier de l'Ouest)