Fifteen months after the clashes in Sainte-Soline, in Deux-Sèvres, opponents of the mega-basins are taking advantage of the presence of journalists from all over the world, who have come to follow the Games, to attempt a new action. Friday’s demonstration was cancelled due to a fire in a field.
Between 6,000 and 8,000 opponents of the mega-basins in Deux-Sèvres have been gathered at the “Water Village” in Melle since Tuesday, July 16. They plan to demonstrate against these water reservoirs, taking advantage of the presence of journalists from around the world in France for the Games to give more scope to their message, reports West France. These undeclared demonstrations were banned. The first was to take place on Friday, July 19 in Saint-Sauvant (Vienne) on the site of a future basin. The second was to take place on Saturday, July 20, in front of the agro-industrial terminal of the port of La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime).
On Thursday, July 18, the prefect of Deux-Sèvres, Emmanuelle Dubée, declared that “it is responsible not to participate” in these demonstrations. The organizers of the demonstrations responded: “We claim our right to oppose water grabbing projects.” As a reminder, these basins are intended to store millions of cubic meters of water drawn from the water tables in winter in order to irrigate crops in summer.
A fire broke out
Opponents of mega basins “defied the ban on demonstrations”, explains the prefecture on X, which reports that the police have “used tear gas grenades”. These are said to have caused a fire that broke out in a field. The dry weather and high temperatures in the region have aggravated the fire, which is spreading rapidly. Protesters are being urged to stay away from the flames and firefighters have been dispatched to the scene to try to extinguish the fire.
Demonstrations | Intervention in progress by firefighters, supported by the gendarmes, on the fire in a field in Migné-Auxances
Avoid the area
Let help pass pic.twitter.com/tGBAjRBUOw— Prefect of Vienne (@Prefet86) July 19, 2024
The protesters were heading towards a site “emblematic of the agro-industry”, passing through a field, when the police fired these grenades. The helicopter that was on site to supervise the demonstration lowered its altitude to alert the protesters by asking them to leave the field to join the road in order to take shelter from the flames. The organizers announced that the demonstration of the day was canceled to protect the opponents of the mega-basins. The mobilization will resume on Friday, July 20, according to the planned program.
A major mobilization of law enforcement
The police remember the clashes that took place in Sainte-Soline fifteen months ago. More than 3,000 gendarmes were then mobilized around Melle, in order to carry out identity checks on all people approaching the “Water Village”. According to the authorities, these checks made it possible to identify 450 people “known to the services for violent activism or with criminal records during demonstrations”, reports TF1 info. 123 individuals “listed S” are also said to be present at the camp. Objects considered suspicious were also seized. More than 1,100 objects considered to be “weapons by destination” or “protection” items, such as helmets and goggles, were confiscated, according to the Niort Prosecutor’s Office.