Authorities fear unrest and call on farmers and opponents to remain calm

Several thousand people have gathered since Tuesday in Poitou-Charentes, with the commune of Melle, near Sainte-Soline, in Deux-Sèvres, as the epicentre of the protest.

These basins have become a symbol of the environmental struggle. A few hours before the demonstration of opponents of the megabasins despite the ban by the authorities in Saint-Sauvant, the prefect of Vienne, Jean-Marie Girier, calls “everyone calm and responsible”on France Bleu Poitou Friday July 19.

At the call of the collectives “Bassines Non Merci”, “Soulèvements de la Terre” and “Stop Mégabassines”, several thousand opponents have gathered since Tuesday in Poitou-Charentes. The epicentre of the protest is located in Melle, which is home to the “water village” near Sainte-Soline, in Deux-Sèvres. The prefect of the neighboring department of Vienne, Jean-Marie Girier, also calls on the population not to join the demonstrations. “Let all those who want to lead a fight, for or against the basins, not use violence to make themselves heard”he sums up. Up to 10,000 people are planned to gather until Sunday.

Previous gatherings in this area, in March 2023, had degenerated into violent clashes between demonstrators and police. Around fifty gendarmes had been injured, as well as activists, one of whom remained in a coma for a long time. To prevent further unrest, the authorities deployed a very large security force this week. 3,000 gendarmes, 5 helicopters and around ten drones have been mobilized.

The authorities are particularly afraid of two events banned by prefectural decrees. Friday midday, in Vienne, the big march in the forest of Saint-Sauvant, a former resistance maquis, to oppose any new basin construction site pushed by agro-industrialists. And, Saturday morning, the demonstration planned in La Rochelle, and the possible blockade of the commercial port, also banned.

“We fear tensions, slippages and above all the use of weapons of war like last year”fears Christian Héraud, the president of the Human Rights League (LDH) in Deux-Sèvres, Friday morning on France Bleu Poitou. Fifteen months ago, the LDH had pointed out a disproportionate use of weapons by the police. “The inappropriate response of the police forces increases the pressure and instead of facilitating appeasement, it is exactly the opposite that happens”explains Christian Héraud. This year, there will be even more observers from the Human Rights League on site. They will wear white vests to be easily identifiable and will be present to note potential restrictions on freedoms and also to document the maintenance of order.

The authorities also fear clashes between environmentalists and farmers from the right-wing Rural Coordination, which is planning counter-demonstrations. “Democracy is dialogue. We do not impose anything by force on one side or the other.”warns the prefect of Vienne, who warns farmers and opponents of irrigation reserves. “If these demonstrations are banned, they are banned for everyone. To protect property and people.”adds Jean-Marie Girier. The prefect promises “to protect” farmers but their request for “not taking justice into their own hands.”

At the request of prosecutors, the gendarmes are increasing the number of checks, particularly on the roads converging towards the “water village” in Melle in Deux-Sèvres. Dozens of knives, flammable liquids and fireworks have been seized. The intelligence services estimate that 10% of the 10,000 expected demonstrators are potentially violent radicals from different regions and abroad. The organizing associations believe that the representatives of the State are predicting the worst for “to scare and justify repression”.