Greta Thunberg joins banned French anti-highway protests

Greta Thunberg has been fined by a Swedish court for her direct protests in Sweden. (document)

Climate activist Greta Thunberg took part in a banned anti-highway protest on Saturday, a day after police fired tear gas and made arrests.

Thunberg came to the scene near the southwestern city of Toulouse as part of a delegation of activists from France, Belgium, Sweden and Spain.

“We are here in solidarity with those who are resisting this project and this madness,” Thunberg, wearing a Palestinian headscarf, told reporters.

“Unfortunately, projects like this are not unique to France but occur all over the world and are symptoms of a global crisis,” she said.

Thunberg, a global figure in the fight against climate change, was fined by a Swedish court for her direct protests there.

But last week she saw another case against her dismissed by a British court.

French authorities banned a rally in Sex, where a new motorway is planned, because of “the risk of serious damage to public order.”

But protest organizer Cabanad continued with the protest, and on Friday French police fired tear gas and made arrests at the scene.

Organizers had hoped for a large turnout on Saturday, but amid persistent rain, only about a hundred people showed up.

Police clear roadblocks

But about 350 meters away, activists have established a so-called “defended zone” (ZAD in French) on private land, complete with camp toilets, signposts and huts.

Police on Friday cleared pallets and trolleys used to block a path next to the stadium, close to the planned route of the A69 motorway linking Toulouse and the town of Castres, and also close to a railway line.

On Saturday, they fired tear gas at activists but did not penetrate the ZAD itself, which is located on private land and did not break any laws. An AFP photographer saw activists returning tear gas canisters with tennis rackets.

“One hundred people blocked the railway between Toulouse and Castres and set up barriers,” the local government said in a statement. “The men set up three roadblocks and set one on fire, but the gendarmes managed to reopen it. blocked municipal roads.”

Environmentalists have staged numerous protests along the planned route of the A69 in recent months.

Protest organizer No Macadam said on Friday that Thunberg’s presence “allows us to fully participate in the campaign against the A69 at international and national levels”.

The government is determined to complete the A69 project, which will reduce journey times between Toulouse and Castres by 20 minutes and is expected to open in 2025.

“Dear Greta Thunberg, the A69 motorway meets an urgent need for the Tarn and its residents,” the chairman of the Tarn local unit said on Friday.

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