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Megabassines: thousands of demonstrators are expected in Deux-Sèvres
Megabassines: thousands of demonstrators are expected in Deux-Sèvres
(France 2)
Thousands of protesters against the megabasins gathered on Friday, July 19. Gatherings were banned by the prefecture and the authorities fear violence, almost a year after the demonstrations in Sainte-Soline.
Opponents of the mega-basins begin their march on Friday, July 19. The Republican Guard lets them do it before stopping them dead in their tracks. Some demonstrators cut across the fields, others set up camp on the side of the road. The goal is to converge on a picnic spot where several thousand demonstrators opposed to the large water reservoirs are expected.
Significant security measures have been deployed. The police fear that hundreds of black blocs will infiltrate the procession. But the activists are determined. A few kilometers away, for several days, 5,000 to 7,000 people have set up a camp in Melle (Deux-Sèvres) called “the water village”. They are calling for a moratorium on megabasins. The pro-basins Rural Coordination has also invited itself to make its voice heard. 16 months after the Sainte-Soline demonstrations, which were marred by violence, observers from the Human Rights League are present. 1,400 sharp objects, petanque balls and flammable products were seized by the police.
