Hundreds of illegal immigrants stormed the Pantheon monument in Paris demanding legal status and housing assistance.
The protest took place Friday. Police estimate 200 to 300 so called “black vests” swarmed the national monument, demanding the French government give them legal papers and provide housing to those migrants that are homeless. Another estimate put the number of protesters around 600 to 800.
“We will remain here until the last one of us has been given documents,” a leaflet said, according to Reuters.
Most of the demonstrators are illegal migrants from West Africa. The group named themselves after the yellow vest protests that spread over the country late last year and continued into 2019. A proposition by French President Emmanuel Macron to raise the nation’s gas tax inflamed many blue collar French workers, sparking protests and riots that lasted months.
The black vests entered the Pantheon’s Left Bank mausoleum where a number of French national heroes are interred.
#BlackVests storm #Pantheon in #Paris#France pic.twitter.com/xgrQdFoFq2
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) July 12, 2019
“We, immigrants without papers, residents of shelters and of the streets, occupy the Panthéon, the graves of your great citizens … to demand the Prime Minister give papers to all undocumented migrants in France,” the leaflet said.
The #GiletsNoirs strike again in Paris!
“We, immigrants without papers, residents of shelters and of the streets, occupy the Panthéon, the graves of your great citizens…to demand the Prime Minister give papers to all undocumented migrants in France.” pic.twitter.com/2ZI3ZC72gc
— Luke Butterly (@lukejbutterly) July 12, 2019
Malgré la présence policière renforcée, les #GiletsNoirs continuent de mettre l’ambiance au #Pantheon : “Qu’est-ce qu’on veut ? Des papiers ! Pour qui ? Pour tous !” pic.twitter.com/xYCcTLeNA9
— Thomas Clerget (@Thomas_Clerget) July 12, 2019
French police moved the protesters out of the Pantheon. Officials arrested several migrants after scuffles broke out between the two groups. Some immigrants were injured in the fights, according to a local journalist.
Voilà ce qui vient de se passer. La police française en action. “Vous voulez partir Monsieur ?” Et ils lui tombent dessus. #GiletsNoirs #Pantheon pic.twitter.com/puMmspRWMd
— Thomas Clerget (@Thomas_Clerget) July 12, 2019
