Buses paid for by the French government took hundreds of migrants and homeless people from the city centre to temporary lodging ahead of the opening ceremony.
Large groups of displaced people, many carrying backpacks and small children, were directed onto the buses by armed police.
While some living on the streets were happy to have a roof over their head for the night, few knew what lay ahead once the world's eyes were off Paris. Many of the families relocated by French authorities are like Ms Gbetie — from African countries once colonised by the French, including Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
"I think France is saturated. They're tired of migrants, they want us to leave their country," Ms Gbetie said. At Place de la République in central Paris, a popular square for protests, activists were trying to encourage people to do just that on the eve of the grandiose opening ceremony on the Seine.
"Shame, shame, shame," the crowd of around 200 people chanted as smoke canisters in the colours of the Olympic rings were set off.One read "La France, championne du mal-logement" .Another called to extinguish the Olympic flame and one flag depicted French President Emmanuel Macron with his hands through the Olympic rings as if handcuffed.The Games mark an important moment for Mr Macron at a time of political turmoil.
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