The northern Parisian neighbourhood of Porte de la Chapelle was given a makeover and increased police security for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Yet residents are worried these changes won't last once the tourists are gone.
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00:00For years, the Porte de la Chapelle neighborhood in northern Paris has been associated with higher crime and poverty rates than the rest of the capital.
00:09But with the Paris Olympics, the city has launched an ambitious urban renewal plan and heightened police security to transform the area.
00:17Like this 8,000-seat arena, the only one built within the city for the Games, which hosted badminton and rhythmic gymnastics.
00:26And this main avenue leading towards the city's rig road was re-landscaped with added trees and bicycle lanes.
00:34There are very beautiful slabs on the ground, as well as a beautiful landscaping.
00:40It really changed my life.
00:43Before, we had a lot of difficulty walking around with the trees.
00:48There were two service stations that were slowed down.
00:51So now it's day and night. It's really beautiful.
01:04It worked so well, the police presence. I hope they won't keep it in large numbers, but that it's maintained.
01:11But I'm afraid it won't be.
01:13Now the GEOs have boosted, which is normal.
01:16It's normal that the image of France is beautiful.
01:20But it's not up to us. We prioritized the GEOs.
01:34Some NGOs accuse the city of social cleansing for having evicted and relocated up to 5,200 people,
01:41including migrants, drug users and sex workers, outside of the capital before the Games.
01:47An accusation the local authorities firmly deny.
01:51What is the answer? To leave things as they are?
01:55No. We have to deal with misery and suffering.
02:00We have to make sure that these populations are accompanied by suitable structures,
02:07but also in the case of an urban transformation.
02:10Both go hand in hand.
02:12There is no social cleansing.
02:14There is an evolution of the city, and we leave no one in this evolution on the side of the road.
02:24Today, the inhabitants have nothing to fear,
02:28because the structures we have put in place are permanent.