SOME 50 Africans seized in a raid on a Paris church, including hunger strikers, were released yesterday after a string of court victories over detention orders and a police about turn.
The releases meant only a fraction of the 210 people arrested in the Saint Bernard church on Friday, when the 10 hunger strikers were in the 50th day of a fast against French expulsion orders and strict immigration laws, were still in detention.
Despite the releases, many of the Africans still face the threat of expulsion. Most of the Africans are from Mali, Senegal and Zaire.
President Jacques Chirac and the French Prime Minister, Mr Alain Juppe, avoided a public outing to worship yesterday as they discussed policy.
Mr Chirac and Mr Juppe met for a second day in a Riviera fortress on issues ranging from immigration to record unemployment and the 1997 budget. They did not accompany their wives, Bernadette and Isabelle, who attended a Mass at Le Lavandou celebrated by a Zairean priest.
The group of Africans expelled by France returned to Senegal, Mali and Zaire under military escort yesterday, with some saying they had been separated from family or loved ones.
Airport ground staff in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, called the French aircraft carrying more than 50 deportees a "flight of shame", refused to handle it and urged airport workers across the continent to boycott that and similar flights.
Political parties and other groups in Mali held a rally in the capital, Bamako, and passed a motion denouncing France's treatment of the immigrants and what they called an "anti immigrant crusade" by its conservative government.
Six hunger strikers, looking drawn and tired but smiling and able to walk unaided, were released from the Vincennes detention centre east of Paris yesterday after police decided not to seek an extension of their custody in a change of policy. Supporters cheered as they walked free.
Another three of the hunger strikers were released from hospital and a 10th had been quietly released on Saturday night, police said. Police said they planned to grant just one of the 10 a residence permit and expel the rest.
Earlier, about 40 Africans were freed from the Vincennes detention centre on the eastern edge of Paris after a civil court ruled police had made errors in custody orders, including unauthorised signatures on documents.
Paris police headquarters said it would appeal against the freeing of the 40.