The fate of the “squirrels” calls into question even at the United Nations.
UN special rapporteur Michel Forst on Thursday asked the French authorities for “immediate measures to protect” opponents of the A69 motorway who are camping at the top of trees to prevent the continuation of this controversial construction site.
Michel Forst, who visited Tarn on February 22 and 23, calls in particular for "an investigation and sanctions for acts of sleep deprivation, burning of materials, lighting of fires and dumping of products a priori flammable by the police, who may have endangered the lives” of these opponents of the Toulouse-Castres motorway project, called “squirrels”.
He also asks for “authorization without delay and without hindrance for the supply of food and drinking water” to these activists and “precautionary measures essential for the safety of the
squirrels
and the members of the police responsible for their arrest” .
In his end-of-mission declaration, Michel Forst expresses his “deep concerns” regarding “the particularly tense climate on the site” where these opponents are camped in Saïx (Tarn).
“Massive presence of law enforcement”
The “strong feeling of injustice and powerlessness” of the environmental defenders present on site is “exacerbated by a massive presence of law enforcement,” he writes.
The UN special rapporteur on the protection of environmental defenders also reports "other very worrying information relating to the methods of maintaining order during the various gatherings near the site" during the month of FEBRUARY.
“This includes disproportionate and indiscriminate use of tear gas canisters, including towards occupied trees;
violent arrests, including baton blows, kicks and punches against demonstrators on the ground,” he adds.
At the end of the day, the prefect of Tarn reacted in a press release by denying “the assertions in Mr. Forst’s publication”.
The prefect “regrets that Mr. Forst did not take into account in his publication the explanations given to him over an hour and a half, which formally deny the allegations he is reporting,” he added.
Several demonstrations were organized against the project, with opponents proposing alternatives, such as improving the existing national road or rail service.
Elected officials from Tarn denounced a project in “total contradiction with the climate emergency”, but others, from all political sides, support the construction of this 53 km section of motorway, which would reduce around twenty minutes the Castres-Toulouse journey, currently around 1h20.
The government said it was determined to see the project “through to completion”, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2025.