After the runways of Orly airport a few days ago, the environmental activists of Extinction Rebellion (XR) conducted a punching action on Tuesday in front of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This time, it was a question of denouncing the "billions of euros invested in industries which kill planetary ecosystems and human lives" and mark their opposition to the stimulus choices of European governments after the epidemic of Covid-19.
To be heard, the collective, accustomed to shock actions such as the occupation of the Châtelet district or the Italy 2 shopping center in October, chained part of its activists at the gates of Bercy and spilled false blood on their naked bodies, as well than on the walls. The idea being to “lay bare to express our fragility in the face of climate change”, explains on Twitter one of the proven accounts of Extinction Rebellion in France, Franck XR.
🔴 action in progress at #Bercy 🔴. This action is the first of @XREurope here in Paris. #ExtinctionRebellion will act in the coming months across Europe to defend biodiversity and an EU policy for #Climat pic.twitter.com/gPqn0uo4oH
- Franck XR 🌳 (@XrFranck) June 30, 2020According to this activist, several of the activists were arrested by the police to be placed in police custody.
"A courageous policy to fight climate change"
Friday, twenty activists of the same group had entered a runway at Orly airport when it had just reopened after almost 3 months of stoppage due to the Covid-19 crisis. Fifteen people were then placed in police custody for "entering the reserved area" and "degradations" in particular. Activists called for a halt to air traffic, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
"Let's save the living not the planes" or "15 billion to relaunch the disaster," could be read on their banners. And explain in a statement: "The government is trying to make a com operation on the ban on some domestic flights but - at the same time - it finances with billions of public money the revival of the aeronautical industry . What is the logic? […] Extinction Rebellion calls for a courageous policy to fight climate change and the collapse of biodiversity. No hypocritical or cowardly measures. We ask for the only necessary measure: the prohibition of ALL domestic flights. Now ! "
PODCAST. Extinction Rebellion: why the collective is needed in France
