Homeless refugees living in tents in St Peter’s Square were slapped with an eviction notice yesterday morning.
The encampment outside the Manchester City Council building nicknamed ‘the red tent camp’ has been the home of many rough sleepers.
The eviction order followed a hearing last week where the courts ruled against the Greater Manchester Law Centre who legally challenged Manchester City Council.
This resulted in the council obtaining a possession order for the area.
The notices handed out yesterday state people must remove all belongings including tents and bedding from Albert Square, St Peter’s Square and the council building.
Ermias has been living in the red tent camp for six months and said he felt he was being treated “like an animal” and had received “no support” from the council. Later he said he “needed help from Manchester”.
He said: “Manchester help me.”
Ermias said he felt he was “being lied to by the council” because every day he would engage in polite conversation with the people who work in the building. Now all of a sudden he had been told he was being legally moved.
Another rough sleeper Abdul who has resided at the camp for six to seven months said the council decision was “very bad”.
He said: “People here are struggling with their lives and didn’t get an education”.
He also said people were suffering from mental health issues in the tents.
When asked if he felt disrespected by the Council he said: “100%”.
Abdul added: “There a lot of houses not in use. There are 30 people – why can’t they accommodate them.
“Some people have families – it’s not fair.”
When describing the living conditions of the camp, Abdul said they were unbelievably bad. Occasionally people had been attacked and he said some residents resorted to drinking alcohol to keep warm.
A Manchester City Council spokesperson said: “We would completely refute the notion that there is no help available or that people haven’t been treated with respect.
“We want to stress in the strongest possible terms that help is at hand for any Manchester resident facing homelessness.
“The council’s homelessness service works hard alongside a fantastic network of voluntary and community sector organisations in the city to deliver that support.
“But throughout this period, we have been clear with those camping in the square that this is not a safe, suitable or sanitary place from which to access this support.
“Nor does camping in a public space accelerate their homelessness application or gain them any other advantage.”
The council added: “However, with many still refusing to leave despite being repeatedly asked to do so – and other options having been exhausted – securing this order was a necessary step.”
Developments at the red tent camp are still on going. Despite the notices many of the residents still remain.
Image credit: Matthew Wilde
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