Posted
Update
A new fine was introduced on Tuesday, October 19, to fight against insecurity and drug trafficking. Squatters in building halls are now liable to pay 200 euros. The measure is being tested in six cities in France.
At the Cité des Choux in Créteil (Val-de-Marne) at the end of the day, the stairwells sometimes turn into squats for the young people of the neighborhood. “They sit upstairs on the landing, and they spend the night“, explains Jean-Claude Mestdagh, tenant. On the landings, noise, damage or deal. The presence of these young people is difficult for the inhabitants to bear.”They do not dare to leave their accommodation, because they are often 5 or 6 and they are afraid of it“, testifies José Marques, the goalkeeper.
Squatters will now have to pay. The illegal occupation of a common part of a collective building will be liable, from Tuesday 19 October, to a fixed fine of 200 euros. In addition to Créteil, the experiment is also being carried out in Lille (North), Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine), or even Reims (Marne). The fine is primarily aimed at combating drug trafficking, which often takes place in these buildings.