After a century-long wait, the Olympics have returned to Paris but many Parisians will not be present to witness the Paris Olympics 2024. Stringent regulations have led some to leave voluntarily, while others have been forcibly removed.

Various French media outlets report that thousands of homeless individuals and vulnerable groups have been expelled by Parisian authorities in an effort to "cleanse" the city ahead of the Summer Olympics.

This situation in Paris echoes similar actions taken during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Chinese authorities conducted widespread evictions and relocations of residents to present a polished image of the city.

Critics argue that such measures prioritize the event's global image over the well-being of local populations, raising ethical concerns about the true cost of hosting the Olympics.

A recent report by the French collective Le Revers de la Médaille, titled "1 year of social cleansing before the 2024 Olympic Games," highlights these mass removals. According to The Guardian, over 12,000 people have been expelled from Parisian streets since April 2023.

This has intensified accusations of "social cleansing," especially following the eviction of hundreds of migrants from France's largest squat, Vitry-sur-Seine, located south of Paris.

On April 16, 2023, just a day after the ceremonial lighting of the Paris Olympics 2024 flame in Greece, French authorities began evicting hundreds of migrants from Vitry-sur-Seine. Reuters reported that those evicted were transported to other parts of the country. This was the third major eviction operation in the Île-de-France region in 2023.

Earlier, about 400 people were removed from a squat near the Olympic Village on Île-Saint-Denis, and another 200 were evicted from a squat in Thiais in July. France24 noted that migrants were placed on buses and relocated to other parts of France during these eviction drives.

Meanwhile, the Le Revers de la Médaille report stated that around 7,000 homes are needed in the Île-de-France area to address homelessness long-term. However, local authorities have only planned for 1,000 urgent housing solutions, which have been delayed by bureaucratic hurdles.

The forced evictions are not the only reason Parisians are leaving. French Transport Minister Clément Beaune encouraged residents to work remotely or take time off during the Games to reduce the strain on Paris' public transport system, reported France24. This suggestion has been perceived as an attempt to make room for the influx of visitors during the Olympics.

A 2023 poll by the independent research institute Odoxa revealed that 44 percent of Paris region residents held a negative view of the Olympics and Paralympics, a significant increase from 21 percent in 2021. Many locals see the Games as a major inconvenience and financial burden, benefiting primarily large multinational stakeholders rather than French citizens. Consequently, many Parisians plan to work remotely or temporarily relocate to other parts of France. However, not everyone has the means to do so.

These eviction operations have drawn significant attention from organizations assisting vulnerable populations. Paul Alauzy, a coordinator for health monitoring at Médecins du Monde, criticized the authorities for "hiding the misery under a rug" to present Paris in a favorable light for the Games.

He noted that people are being bussed out of the city for the duration of the Olympics, but "if this really was a dignified solution to the problem, people would be fighting to get on the buses. They're not. We are in the process of making life impossible for these people and those who support them."