Paris City Hall plaza draws holiday visitors and migrant families seeking shelter as Olympics nears

The forecourt of Paris City Hall sparkles with activity this holiday season, including a Christmas market and huge signs advertising the 2024 Olympics. It also hosts dozens of migrant families searching for a roof over their heads. About 50 families with children between three months and 10 years old gathered on City Hall plaza on Christmas evening. Aid workers distributed food, blankets and diapers and helped find temporary lodging. A similar scene plays out most nights at this site overlooking the Seine River. Many of the families are from French-speaking African countries, including Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Senegal.