• In the Kallisté housing estate in Marseille, around sixty residents fled their homes in the face of violence.

  • In question, a band of Nigerians who attack them to recover and squat their accommodation.

  • The authorities relocated some of them in emergencies, others found refuge with friends or family.

At first glance, it is a very deprived, very dilapidated building, in a housing estate in the northern districts, of which there are unfortunately dozens in Marseille.

Here, a tag indicating the hours and the direction of "coffee" - understand the point of deal - there, a few boned cars and garbage cans with melted walls, licked by flames, overflowing with garbage.

An environment that had been deteriorating for many years, but which most of the inhabitants were getting used to, also living on good past memories, "that of convivial barbecues at the foot of the bar and roses in the massif", recalls Nassra .

This was the case at least until this weekend, and that the violence does not go up a notch, directly targeting the tenants of this city called Kalliste – the “very beautiful”, in ancient Greek.

“They came to the windows of the apartment and tapped the shutters with machetes then set fire,” says Nassra Abodou, landlord with her mother of this ground floor of building G. Licked by the flames, the facade bears the scars of machete blows and the arson that occurred on Sunday morning.

The interior of the apartment is devastated.

“We just took our identity papers and went to take shelter with family,” continues the young woman.

In the wake of this day of anguish, residents, frightened, jumped from the third floor, reports witnesses.

Without too much bodily harm, fortunately.

Residents who do not want to return, others armed to protect themselves

According to the locals, it is a band of Nigerians who sow terror and use machetes to evict tenants and recover apartments suitable for squatting.

About 60 people, according to

Marsactu

who revealed the story, left the scene on Sunday.

The town hall immediately opened a gymnasium to offer a solution on the first evening.

This Wednesday, about thirty people, five families, indicates the prefecture, had not yet "wanted to return to their accommodation".

These tenants of the social landlord Marseille Habitats are currently accommodated "temporarily in an apart-hotel".

But not everyone has this possibility.

This block of building, which has 129 dwellings and 42 of which are squatted, counted the prefecture, partly includes apartments owned by the social landlord, while others belong to private individuals or their inhabitants.

Antonio, who bought here in 1974, feels "a deep sense of injustice".

He found the parade, and does not hide it.

“With me, they don't risk it, because I too am armed.

If there is one who enters, he comes out with both feet forward.

»

" I'm afraid "

Still others have found solutions on their own.

Like Toihir, who left with her three children to live with neighbors in Building I. “I asked to be relocated, and far away, if possible.

Because I'm scared,” she explains.

In fact, everyone I meet here would like to leave.

Listening to locals, things started to get seriously worse soon after Building H was demolished in January 2021. “Those who were squatting apartments there looked for new ones.

So they came here”, summarizes, disillusioned, Nassra surrounded by her two friends Wendy and Fela.

At the same time, a young man passes, two tears tattooed under his left eye, flip flops, cap and brightly colored clothes.

"Come on, let's move," let go of the young women, looking away.

The police headquarters announced that an investigation was underway and reinforced the police force.

Ultimately, "as soon as the technical, operational and legal conditions are met" this building will be destroyed, continued the prefecture.

In the meantime, its inhabitants live an ordeal.

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  • Marseilles

  • Violence

  • Northern neighborhoods

  • squats

  • Paca