FRENCH AUTHORITIES REMOVED 12,500 PEOPLE FROM THE STREETS AHEAD OF PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES. (VIDEO/PHOTO)

 French authorities are clearing the streets of Paris ahead of the Olympic Games, according to NGO Le Revers de la Medaille, or "the other side of the medal".

It says they've expelled 12,500 people from tent cities and squats in the past year - a 40% rise from the same period two years ago.

In a press conference in Paris on Tuesday (July 16), migrants and Roma shared their experiences of forced eviction.

The clearing-up of squats was facilitated by a new law passed in 2023, which also imposes large fines and prison sentences for illegal occupation.

At least 3,000 people were affected by squat closures last year, according to a Reuters investigation.

Authorities have denied the squat evictions were connected to the Olympic Games.

Many were offered places in other parts of France, following a push by the government this year to clear the streets of the Paris region.

The NGO’s spokesperson Paul Alauzy says tourists this summer will experience a, quote, “postcard Paris” with new cycling lanes and rebuilt sites.

However, he says, the cost of this is the displacement of some vulnerable inhabitants.

The Olympic Games will start on July 26.

Watch video below.