After the discovery of a bear shot dead in Ustou, in the Ariège Pyrenees, on June 9, a demonstration is organized this Saturday July 4 in Toulouse by several pro-bear associations. On July 2, the Prefect of Occitania Etienne Guyot, coordinator of the Pyrenees, led in this sense in Toulouse a meeting of the group " pastoralism and bears ". There was talk of around 10 million euros released in 2020 to promote cohabitation between breeders and plantigrades, but also the thorny issue of replacing the animal killed at the start of the month.
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While the prefect has decided to authorize the pro-bear demonstration planned for this Saturday, in parallel with this decision, Etienne Guyot has also issued a new decree relating to a “ ban on demonstrations and protest gatherings of yellow vests in Toulouse, on Saturday July 4, 2020 ”, the latter having declared no demonstration at the prefecture. Indicating that the security system has been " substantially reinforced by mobile forces ", the prefect announced that " any demonstration or rally causing disturbances to public order will result in immediate dispersal by the police and the arrest of potential perpetrators of violence ”.
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For pros-ours, the meeting is fixed at 11 hours, in front of the Regional Prefecture, place Saint-Etienne. A “telemanifestation” is also organized in parallel on the Internet for sympathizers of the cause who could not go to the Prefecture of Occitania. The demonstrators denounce " the very soft reaction of the state " and " the impunity granted for too long to violent anti-bears ", reports La Dépêche . They demand " a serious investigation to identify those responsible and any accomplices ", with " effective surveillance to avoid further destruction ". The pro-bears also ask " a reminder to local elected officials not to condone, by their words, illegal criminal acts ", as well as " the immediate replacement of the bear killed by human hands , in accordance with the written commitment from the State (Bear Plan 2018-2028), in order not to give reason to the poacher (s) ", as well as" no longer to authorize unnecessary and dangerous scarings on bears ". More generally, they want " a policy that is finally clear and firm for the restoration of the bear population ". Opponents of plantigrade supporters also decided to gather this Saturday, July 4 at the edge of the pond of Lers, in Ariège.