Christophe Béchu does not want to “criminalize” the protest, nor “excuse” the violence during the demonstrations

“I am not in favor of criminalizing protest or ecological action, but we cannot have the slightest complacency with violence. [des manifestants]”, estimates Christophe Béchu, Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion, Tuesday April 25 on France Culture. He responded in particular to the accusations of Noël Mamère, former EELV deputy, who denounced Monday in a forum in the newspaper Le Monde “the will of this government to criminalize thousands of environmentalists”after the clashes in Sainte-Soline in Deux-Sèvres.

A forum that Christophe Béchu esteems “outrageous”. The Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion calls for having “the courage of nuance”. According to him, we “must not pay lip service” the violence of the demonstrators, “nor find a justification for it”. “It is not compatible with a republican or democratic commitment”.

We cannot “dispute the idea of ​​contestation”

Also questioned about the disputed A69 motorway project which is to link Toulouse to Castres, Christophe Béchu acknowledges that “can’t dispute the idea of ​​dispute”. Last weekend, more than a thousand opponents gathered in Saïx, in the Tarn, to denounce this project which, according to them, “brings together all that should not be done”. The Minister assures “not to doubt the sincerity of those who dispute” And this “whatever folder we’re talking about” but he considers that in the public sphere “we need an arbitration body”to know “Justice”.

>> Climate crisis: between Toulouse and Castres, the fight is organized against the A69 motorway, deemed “anachronistic”

“I am not a specialist on this section of motorway but the public utility has been declared because it is the only territory of more than 100,000 inhabitants which is not linked by two lanes to Toulouse”, explains Christophe Béchu. He recalls that the project is “massively” supported by part of the population. “I also know that the future is not to go and build highways and roads”nuance the minister. “The government is stepping up its investments in rail, in decarbonized transport in the broad sense, and reducing its support for road projects”says Christophe Béchu.