Olivier Véran says he is not “sure that someone understands the cause” of the demonstrations

At the exit of the Council of Ministers, Wednesday, November 2, the spokesman of the government Olivier Véran deplored the demonstrations of the opponents to the basins which were held this weekend, in Sainte-Soline (Deux-Sèvres). “It’s not the same as working in a museum”, compared the Olivier Véran, in reference to the multiple actions carried out in recent days by the Just Stop Oil collective, qualifying, in comparison, the mobilization in Sainte-Soline of “violent protests”.

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Olivier Véran recalled the government’s support for this mega-basin project: “It’s not a government project but we welcome it very muchhe said. We continue to support him.” Asked about the use of the word “ecoterrorism”the government spokesman did not actually answer the question but claimed “that there (had) been no exchange” to the Government Council on this point. According to him, however, “The French are a bit fed up. (…) Even on the merits, II’m not sure anyone understands the cause of these protests.”

Earlier in the day, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin had also denounced, Wednesday at the National Assembly, “the provocations of certain elected officials” present Saturday in Sainte-Soline (Deux-Sèvres) at the prohibited demonstration of opponents of basins.