Campaigners start mattress protest
Heaps of mattresses are dumped in city streets to highligh risk of homelessess as annual winter eviction ban ends.
CAMPAIGNERS have piled up mattresses in the street in Toulouse and Paris as a symbol of homelessness as the “winter truce” on evictions came to an end.
The trève hivernale- during which landlords cannot force tenants to leave and eviction procedures are halted - finished this morning. It started on November 1.
The idea of the “truce” is to avoid anyone sleeping rough during the coldest months.
According to campaigners from Emmaüs and Droit au Logement, more people stand to lose their home this year because of job losses caused by the economic crisis.
They are sceptical about promises by Housing Minister Christine Boutin that no one would be evicted without having somewhere else to go and fear that in many cases this will just mean temporary shelter rather than a stable home.
To highlight the issue Emmaüs dumped a “mountain of mattresses” in Place de la République, Paris, while in Toulouse Droit au Logement (DAL) did the same in front of the prefecture. Between 1 – 5,000 people joined a protest in Paris, depending on figures by police or organisers.
Droit au Logement believes as many as half a million families will be threatened with eviction this year. Spokesman Jean-Baptiste Eyraud said Ms Boutin should requisition empty buildings to provide accommodation for those at risk.
Photo:AFP/ Remy Gabalda
