The A69 motorway, the scene of a grim day marked by violent attacks against law enforcement. Molotov cocktails thrown, CRS agents hit, gendarmes and protesters injured. A tableau of chaos and violence that raises questions: Who is really behind these attacks? A captivating investigation to reveal the actors and motivations behind these acts of extreme gravity.
Escalation of violence during the mobilization against the A69 motorway
The mobilization of environmental activists against the A69 motorway between Castres and Toulouse took a dramatic turn on Saturday, June 8, in the Tarn. What was supposed to be a peaceful protest escalated into violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement.
Law enforcement targeted by violent attacks
Around 3 p.m., the first incidents broke out. A CRS officer was hit by a Molotov cocktail, and two gendarmes as well as two protesters were also injured, according to information provided by the prefecture. The prefect of Tarn strongly condemned “extremely violent attacks, with catapults” coming from “1,200 radical individuals, evidently here to cause chaos, unrelated to the question of the A69”.
Authorities’ reaction and dispersal of protesters
Law enforcement used tear gas grenades to disperse and contain the three groups of protesters, who were attempting to approach a building of the motorway concessionaire and a site of Pierre Fabre Laboratories, which supports the construction of the A69.
Some individuals dressed in black and hooded fired fireworks mortars, threw stones and Molotov cocktails towards the gendarmes. After various skirmishes a few dozen meters from the construction site of the motorway, law enforcement pushed the protesters back towards a hill near their protest camp.
Return to calm under high vigilance
By the end of the day, calm was observed, but the prefecture of Tarn indicated that law enforcement would remain mobilized until the end of the protest scheduled for Sunday. The prefect stated that “the associations calling for the protest are serving as cover for violent individuals who have come to cause trouble”, justifying thus the prohibition order and the massive presence of security forces.
An environmental mobilization despite the prefectural ban
Despite the prefectural ban, thousands of ecological opponents gathered for the “Roue Libre” mobilization. According to the organizers, about 7,000 activists were present, although the prefecture counted only 1,600. About 1,600 gendarmes and police officers had been mobilized to supervise the protest and prevent any overflow.
Environmental demands in the face of the controversial project
Under a scorching sun, the protesters participated in several activities, including round tables and festive marches. However, a more radical group left the protest camp, and it was then that confrontations broke out.
The opponents argue that the A69 motorway project, constructed in the name of the decongestion of the Castres and Mazamet basin, is disastrous for the environment. They denounce the destruction of wetlands, agricultural land, trees, ecosystems, and groundwater. The construction began in 2023, and the motorway is set to be operational by the end of 2025.
Calls for reflection and accusations against elected officials
Several speakers took the floor to express their opposition to the construction of the motorway. Thomas Brail, from the National Tree Monitoring Group, stated that “the prohibition of the protest was fully justified” but that “citizens prefer to disobey because the world proposed to us tomorrow is absolutely unsuitable”.
A spokesperson for the Uprisings of the Earth denounced “a massacre of the land for profits”. Activists also highlighted the dangers of tar production units, mentioning emissions of toxic substances dangerous to human health.
Ecologist MP Christine Arrighi expressed support for farmers, “the big losers of this A69”, who see their lands taken in the midst of an agricultural crisis and debate on food sovereignty.
Source: www.midilibre.fr
