Demonstrations in Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon: a water retention basin destroyed and three gendarmes injured – France 3 Régions

According to the organizers, they were more than 3,000, gathered yesterday on the site of the water retention basins located in the town of Cran-Chaban in the area of ​​Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon (Deux-Sèvres). “Never seen”, Comments Victor, member of the Uprisings of the Earth collective, the day after the demonstration. The collective says “satisfied and very happy with the scale of the demonstration, despite the deterrent attempts carried out by the authorities”.

?⭐ THE TAKING OF THE BASIN! ??
3000 anti-basins were today in Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon and dismantled a “#basin of shame “and its pomp ?✊

BRAVO everyone, our movement is constantly growing and will bend the agribusiness!
No bassaran!#BassinesNoThank you pic.twitter.com/u3dse7sOOR

– Earth Uprisings (@lessoulevements) November 6, 2021

“Teaching”, with the authorities

An event during which a water retention basin was damaged “It was not the purpose of the mobilization”, Insists Victor. “There were no instructions given. Every protester is free”, Indicates the activist. According to the citizen collective which fights for the protection of the environment, the destruction of the water retention basin must above all alert the authorities.

“The peasant confederation was able to take one end of the pump installed on the basin”, Says Victor. “It proves that these basins take water from the water table and that it is not only rainwater that is stored.”

“We are going to show all that to the ministers, we are going to do pedagogy”

Victor, activist in the Uprisings of the Earth collective

An “intolerable rampage”

The national federation of farmers’ unions (FNSEA), which defends the water retention project, for its part condemned the damage that occurred during the gatherings of November 6. “I await the firm condemnations of these acts by the government and regional elected officials“, declared on Twitter the president of the first agricultural union of France, Christiane Lambert, who speaks of” an intolerable rampage “.

The Minister of Agriculture Julien Denormandie spoke as early as Saturday evening on social networks. “I strongly condemn these degradations. Justice will have to be done. Nothing justifies such degradations.“he wrote.

“I condemn the acts of destruction (…) I want the perpetrators to answer for their acts in court.“declared this Sunday the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin, who specified to bring his support to the police forces mobilized on the spot.

I condemn the acts of destruction of the irrigation installations yesterday in Deux-Sèvres and Charente-Maritime. I want the perpetrators to answer for their actions in court. Support for the 2 wounded gendarmes and the soldiers mobilized under the authority of the prefects.

– Gerald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) November 7, 2021

Three wounded gendarmes

In a statement released following the rally, the Deux-Sèvres prefecture indicated that it condemns “this unilateral use of violence”. The authorities have also expressed their wish for a “quick return to calm”.

On the sidelines of the mobilization of November 6, at least three gendarmes were injured, announced the prefecture of Deux-Sèvres.

France 3 Poitou-Charentes report