Fax News has published footage that shows Municipal police forcibly removing homeless earthquake survivors from a gym in Lac.
A number of citizens had been placed in the gym following the devastating 26 November earthquake. Due to damage in their homes, nine families in Lac were given refuge in the Hydajet Lezha School gym where they have been staying since.
Following their forced eviction by the police, four of the nine families have been forced to return to badly damaged accommodation. The other five families are lodging with relatives as they have no other place to go.
One citizen told Fax News “They forced us out of the gym, took out the children, men and women with force. Also an old lady. They ridiculed us. Today we have to move to houses that have been damaged by the earthquake. We are inside and no one cares for us.”
In the video, the police can be seen removing their possessions from the building against the will of the citizens. They can also be seen and heard acting in an aggressive and highly unprofessional way with those that they are evicting.
Citizens that have received the rental bonus have said that it is not enough to rent properties as prices have risen due to increased demand. They have also spoken of a lack of rental properties in areas impacted by the quake.
