the League for Human Rights denounces a “deliberate desire not to provide assistance as soon as possible”

The responsibility of public authorities is “engaged” during the demonstration of March 25 in Sainte-Soline (Deux-Sèvres) against mega-basins, concludes, Monday July 10, a report by observers from the League of Human Rights (LDH), which points to a “deliberate will not to help as soon as possible”.

“The political will was clear: the Sainte-Soline demonstration should not take place, and anyone who defied the prefectural authorization exposed themselves to risks for their physical and moral integrity”, underline several observatories of public freedoms and police practices, of which the LDH is at the initiative with the Union of lawyers of France (SAF) and the Copernic Foundation.

“Lack of anticipation”

The 150-page report is based on the field work of observers present during the mobilization, which gave rise to violent clashes between demonstrators and the police. “The priority given to law enforcement issues over any other consideration has revealed its absurdity during the obstructions to relief”, curb the authors in their conclusions.

The demonstration had gathered 6,000 to 8,000 people according to the authorities, 30,000 according to the organizers. The latter reported 200 injuries, including 40 serious, on the demonstrators’ side. According to official figures, 5,015 tear gas canisters were fired, or about one per second. The gendarmerie also used 89 GENL type de-encirclement grenades, 40 ASSR deflagrating devices and 81 LBD shots. In two reports, the prefecture and the gendarmerie defended a targeted and proportionate response to 800 to 1,000 “radical” demonstrators.

On the contrary, observers denounce the “numerous injuries caused by the disproportionate and repeatedly unnecessary use of weapons” by law enforcement. Among them, two seriously injured demonstrators, Serge D. and Mickaël B., during clashes with the police, spent several weeks in a coma.