Clashes between radical activists and police took place on Saturday in La Rochelle during the second day of demonstrations against the “bassines”, contested irrigation reserves.
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“La Rochelle is not a city accustomed to this wave of violence”denounced the prefect of Charente-Maritime, Brice Blondel, to France Bleu La Rochelle on Saturday July 20. Clashes between radical activists and law enforcement took place in La Rochelle during the second day of demonstrations against the “bassines”, contested irrigation reserves.
“The fact that we got away with one injured leg on the police side and three relative emergencies on the demonstrators side, we can be pleased about that”according to him. “We can be pleased that there were no more serious victims given the violence in which this demonstration was carried out.”he adds.
“There were 5,000 protesters, including 400 extremely determined radicals.”said the prefect. “They did not come to demonstrate their convictions, but to fight with the police and damage private property and street furniture.” “The perpetrators of this violence are radical individuals, many of whom come from abroad, Italians, Belgians, Germans, who came with a single intention: to cause damage,” assures Brice Blondel.
One of the two processions heading towards the commercial port, in which there were 400 “black blocs” according to the authorities, turned around and broke up after a charge by the gendarmes. A chase then began between demonstrators and the police, with projectiles being thrown and tear gas grenades fired.
