Mega Canal ResistanceTHE collective of citizens Opposed to the Seine-Nord Europe canalreturns to the action carried out at Compiègne. This occupation of two trees at the entrance to Court Guynemer ended in police custody of two of the demonstrators. The operation against the Seine Nord canal, which will link Compiègne to Aubencheul in the North (over 107km), will have lasted from Tuesday 28 to Thursday January 30. Before the police dislodged the “squirrels” and their supporters, the lunchtime.
“Squirrels nestled in two plane trees in a public square in Compiègne in order to visibility the fight against the Mega Canal Seine-Nord Europe, this useless and destructive project of the century,” said the press release. It was a peaceful communication and information operation. ” For two days, activists distributed leaflets at the feet of the trees and exchanged with passers -by. A public information and exchange meeting was held in Shamrock, on Thursday, January 30.
“These events, necessary for democratic debate, allow citizens to forge an opinion,” continues the collective. Despite a peaceful and joyful atmosphere, police pressure has increased from Wednesday evening. ”
“Beds negotiations”
The activists repeat that the police then presented themselves with LBD (defense ball launchers). What the prefecture denies. The activists being for their part “armed only with their leaflets”. They denounce the pressure of the national police on squirrels, “yet well safe, under the watchful eye of the firefighters”.
“After annoying negotiations”, the police did not dislogged the squirrels. The prefect even invited activists on site to a discussion Thursday, January 30, on the occasion of his visit to the channel of the Canal. What the demonstrators have accepted. “But an hour before the appointment, everything changed,” continues the activists. The instructions have changed overnight. From now on, the prefect only discusses if the squirrels descend. ” The prefecture said, on this subject, that this condition was specified since the day before. “The fact that the squirrels did not go down has made it impossible for any dialogue,” said the prefect’s office. Prefect “who remained available all morning”.
“It is well known, to be received by the prefect, one should not express an opposition,” quips the collective. By using this blackmail, the prefect closed the possibility of a democratic dialogue. For the sole purpose of breaking a completely peaceful citizen mobilization. Determined to silence this opposition and under the orders of its hierarchy, the prefecture released the big game. ”
“We were only three” squirrels “and fifteen people on the ground”
Around 12:30 pm, the CNAMO – climbing team of the gendarmerie – arrived “in a storm aboard three intervention vehicles”. With an escort of “more than 20 police officers ready to do battle and accompanied by the sub-prefect”, describe the activists.
“All these beautiful people for three squirrels and fifteen people on the ground”, are still surprising the members of the collective. Means which they deem “clearly disproportionate”. Whose objective is “to silence an opposition which was moving peacefully, by informing the population”. An intervention that the prefecture describes calm. With the exception of the moment when the demonstrators had to be reduced at the foot of the trees.
“It must be believed that for Xavier Bertrand (President of Hauts-de-France), Gérald Darmanin (Minister of Justice) and Bruno Retailleau (Minister of the Interior, the democratic debate does not matter, concluding the activists. While In the emergency room of the Compiègne hospital, it is necessary to wait more than 10 hours to be taken care of, we are witnessing a real escalation of police and communication means to impose a project at 10 billion euros. ”
Two people prosecuted
At the end of the disproportionate intervention, two activists were the subject of police custody. were placed in police custody for 24 hours. Both will appear before the Compiègne Criminal Court. The first will be judged to organize a prohibited demonstration on the public highway and the second for an outrage on a police officer.
The prosecutor, who communicated on the procedure, requested restrictive liberty measures against an activist. It was notably a question of a ban on appearing in the Oise, a prohibition on contact with the other person in police custody, and an obligation to point to the police station. “After a contradictory hearing, the liberty and detention judge, an independent judge, completely dismissed him with his requests because of the absurdity of the prosecution,” comments Maître Pierre Brunisso, lawyer for activists, also defended by Maître Mohamed Jaite. It is a camouflet for both the prefecture and for the prosecution. ”
However, although released, the two activists will be tried. “We will stand by their side during their process and we will never be intimidated by repression or political maneuvers,” promises the collective. The fight continues, and will continue. No one will silence the opposition to this unnecessary and imposed mega-project, a real waste of public money. ”
Among the supports of the collective are among others: Megacanal Non thank you, the uprisings of the earth, extinction rebellion, the naturalists of the land, basins non -thank you, Attac, Nord Nature Environnement, Les Amis de la Terre Nord
Contact: mega_canal_resistance@riseup.net
