Gesú convent cleared of squatters

Police evicted some 200 squatters, including about 90 children, from the Gesú convent in St-Josse in Brussels early on Monday morning. The expulsion came soon after mayor Emir Kir (pictured) had finally given in to requests for talks with the group – talks which in the end failed to convince the mayor to postpone the eviction order.

“These are ordinary people with nothing,” one of the group’s lawyers Alexis Deswaef, said. “They’re not asking for luxury, just a roof over their heads for the winter.” Some of the squatters, however, had been living in the disused convent for years, and the growing numbers of squatters had caused concern to local residents and police, with allegations of prostitution and drug-dealing. The eviction order was finally signed by the mayor, regardless of the agreement of the convent’s owner to allow the squatters to remain until winter is over, on the grounds of lack of hygiene and concerns about safety in the dilapidated building.

With the eviction order hanging over the squatters, about 30 left of their own accord on Sunday evening, mainly thought to be Roma without papers anxious to avoid an encounter with police. Precautions began on Sunday afternoon, when police imposed a parking ban in the area, and police vans began to take their places. Buses were also on stand-by to take the squatters to a municipal hall for triage: those who have papers and may find alternative accommodation, and those without papers who will be referred to the foreigners’ service.