Europa Ocidental

French police clear Roma camp in Evry near Paris

Published in Monday August 27th, 2012 In In the media

August 27, 2012 French police on Monday dismantled a Roma camp near Paris, where 70 people, including 19 children, were living. The action comes just days after the government promised a fresh approach in its controversial handling of the ethnic minority migrants. Police in Evry, on the outskirts of Paris, moved in at dawn to […]

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France must commit to ending forced evictions of Roma

Published in Tuesday August 21st, 2012 In Social movement news

August 21st, 2012 French cabinet members must take action to halt forced evictions of Roma communities and set a housing policy that respects and protects their rights, Amnesty International said ahead of a high-level ministerial meeting. The 22 August meeting called by Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault is the first of its kind since a new […]

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Roma trapped in misery as France demolishes camps

Published in Thursday August 16th, 2012 In In the media

August 15, 2012 The camps weren’t much to begin with: they had no electricity or running water. Grocery carts served as makeshift grills. Rats ran rampant and fleas gnawed on young and old alike. But they were home – and they were better than the new reality for thousands of Gypsies who have been forced […]

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In England, this is how we can solve the housing crisis – one home at a time

Published in Tuesday August 14th, 2012 In In the media

August 13, 2012 Liverpool’s Homebaked community land trust is a model for local rebuilding in the wake of failed regeneration projects Directly in front of north Liverpool’s Homebaked community land trust sits Anfield stadium; behind it lies a ladder of tinned-up houses and several acres of rubble. Market triumph dominates one side of the road while […]

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In Portugal, austerity measures threaten the most vulnerable

Published in Monday August 13th, 2012 In In the media

August 10, 2012 “The most vulnerable social groups have been hit hardest by the fiscal austerity measures implemented in Portugal. The government should strengthen its efforts to mitigate the negative impact of the financial crisis, in particular on children, elderly and the Roma” said today Commissioner Muižnieks publishing a report based on the findings of his […]

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EU keeps close eye on French gypsy expulsion

Published in Monday August 13th, 2012 In In the media

August 11, 2012 EU and human rights groups say they are monitoring closely how France dismantles mobile camps across the country and removes hundreds of gypsies, to ensure Paris’s actions are consistent with the Union’s rules on the free movement of people. Throughout the week police have broken up camps around the country, including areas […]

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Fire in Spain’s Canary Islands forces La Gomera exodus

Published in Monday August 13th, 2012 In In the media

August 13, 2012 Firefighters are battling a forest fire on La Gomera in Spain’s Canary Islands which forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people by ferry overnight. The worst affected area on La Gomera is Valle Gran Rey. Road access has been cut by the fire, which has spread with high winds and tinder-dry vegetation. […]

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France clears Roma camp in fresh wave of expulsions

Published in Friday August 10th, 2012 In In the media

August 9, 2012 French police raided a makeshift Roma camp on Thursday, evicting 200 people as the Socialist government quietly follows the former conservative administration’s policy of repatriating illegal immigrants. Dozens of police officers in riot gear descended on the camp near the city of Lille, in northern France, shortly after dawn to oversee the […]

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London 2012: affordable housing sidelined in Olympic regeneration

Published in Monday August 6th, 2012 In News

(Português) Since 2009, planning deals in the Olympic area in east London have shown little commitment to regeneration and local needs. As London prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the government has once again announced new plans to boost infrastructure spending to kickstart our sluggish economy. The whole London 2012 project is based on […]

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Social housing evictions ‘harder’ in Scotland

Published in Wednesday August 1st, 2012 In In the media

July 31st, 2012 A law which makes it harder for councils and housing associations to evict tenants for failing to pay their rent has come into place in Scotland. Changes introduced by the Housing Scotland Act 2010 mean social landlords now need to undertake a series of actions before going to court to evict a […]

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