PR:Press Release of the medical and legal teams at the occupation of the forest on the violence’s suffered by the protesters
Bure will be their downfall
struggle against the nuclear waste landfill project (CIGEO) in Bure – France
Press Release of the medical and legal teams at the occupation of the forest on the violence’s suffered by the protesters
This Saturday, July 16, 2016, the local residents, the local farmers, the militants, families and international supporters, attended the reoccupation event in the forest of Mandres-en-Barrois. This tercentenary forest, having already suffered damage from the first illegal work of the ANDRA, is doomed to disappear to make way for a senseless landfill project, Cigéo, consisting of burying nuclear waste.
The protest of 400 people, gathered in a desire to defend the wood and prevent the continuation of this project and these illegal works, had converged towards the forest. This cheerful and determined event ended with a great meal and a night in the wood of Lejuc.
In the aftermath of this event, the medical and legal teams of the movement, who treated the wounded and collected numerous testimonies, derived an alarming report.
Throughout the day of July 16, the participants reported countless assaults by the private security service of the ANDRA. Equipped with transparent shields, helmets, batons, tear gas sprays, sleeves picks and slings, these so-called “security guards” in charge the security of the site were actually constituted into a true mobile militia, searching violent contact and chasing after protesters in the fields and in the woods, to beat them and steal their personal belongings.
The people were molested and assaulted with sticks and batons, kicks and punches, were attacked with stones, were gassed directly in the face and, for some of them, were smacked face down against the ground, bashed violently on the head and hit repeatedly.
Following these facts, the medical team reported at least 5 people with injuries and open wounds to the head and multiple injuries to the back and limbs. One of these people lost consciousness for a short moment. Many people are in shock following the violence’s.
In addition, three protesters were injured from rubber bullets and grenades thrown by the police. They have various injuries to the legs and arms. Several protesters also testify stone throwing not only by the security guards but also by the police.
In fact, most protesters consistently maintained an ambivalent attitude regarding the actions of the militia of the ANDRA. Relying on these mercenaries to do the “dirty work”, the police forces have repeatedly retreated and let the militia groups to act freely and only intervened to arrest the attacked protesters. Four protesters were placed in custody.
For this release, we want to denounce the intolerable nature of these serious violence’s by the private militia of ANDRA and the barely hidden complicity with the gendarmerie. We condemn the presence of armed and violent groups creating such a climate of terror on behalf of ANDRA.
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