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Schaarbeek asylum seeker squat to be sealed on Wednesday

James Arthur Photography

Schaarbeek asylum seeker squat to be sealed on Wednesday

The last people living in a squat in the
Paleizenstraat in Schaarbeek (Brussels) leave tomorrow.  At its height over a thousand asylum seekers
and homeless people had taken up residence here.  Tomorrow the last residents can voluntarily accompany
officials from the Brussels region, who will take them to other accommodation.  On Wednesday the property will be sealed.

For weeks around a thousand people stayed
at the block of flats in particularly unhygienic and unsafe conditions.  Most of the residents were asylum seekers,
who hadn’t been given accommodation by the asylum agency Fedasil that is
legally obliged to.

In recent days accommodation elsewhere has
been provided for around 700 people. 
Today a further 40 will leave. 
Around 120 asylum seekers will spend a last night there together with an
unspecified number of other people.

“We told the residents last week that
everybody who so wishes and possesses a blue ribbon as a result of registration
as an asylum seeker can join the Brussels region officials, who will take them to
new accommodation tomorrow.  They will first
go to a neutral location, where they will have a meal and get new clothes.  People then head for three reception centres
across Brussels” says Zeynep Balci, spokesman for Brussels PM Vervoort.

Officials accept not all residents will be
minded to come along voluntarily, especially people who are not registered as
asylum seekers.  Police will be on hand
when a bailiff seals the property on Wednesday. 
People who remain won’t qualify for help in reaching accommodation for
asylum seekers, but can head for SamuSocial, the Brussels organisation for
homeless people.

The Brussels region plans to turn the
building into a proper reception centre for asylum seekers offering hygienic
and safe accommodation for up to 200 asylum seekers.

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