Hundreds of Roma evicted from French camps

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LILLE, France, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Several hundred Roma people, or Gypsies, were evicted from camps in France Thursday, officials said.

Authorities said about 200 people were evicted from a camp near the northern town of Lille, and "15 caravans" of Roma people from another camp, also near Lille, Radio France Internationale reported.

About 240 Roma were deported to Romania from the southern city of Lyon, the report said.

Rights activists have accused President Francois Hollande of breaking campaign promises that the camps would not be broken up until other accommodations were made available and also carrying out policies of conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy on the Roma.

"At least the last president had the honesty to say what was going to happen," said Father Arthur, a Catholic priest.