A “legitimate” but not “legal” opposition for justice.
“A need to act in the face of the concretization of the Saclay plateau” for the prosecuted activists.
This Friday morning, Léo and Paul, two environmental activists, appeared before the criminal court of Évry-Courcouronnes (Essonne).
Respectively aged 28 and 36, they are being prosecuted for having unfurled a banner, on October 15, 2021, from a construction crane on the Saclay plateau to protest against the construction of line 18 of the Grand Paris express.
The prosecutor requested a two-month suspended prison sentence against them.
The court reserved its decision on January 25.
After a first postponement of the trial initially set for April 8, 2022, Leo and Paul must therefore wait a little longer to know their fate.
Not without some stress.
"Two months suspended for a banner is a lot," said Paul, better known by the pseudonym of Happy, dressed in his traditional Scottish kilt and aviator glasses placed on his cap that he had taken off at the bar.
If justice confirms this sentence, it will be a very bad signal for people who are committed to the preservation of biodiversity and who are fighting against climate change.
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"The court does not make politics, but judges the facts"
Prosecuted for "opposing by violence or assault to the execution of public or public utility works committed on October 15, 2021 in Gif-sur-Yvette" on the construction site of the future Catholic cultural and worship center on the Saclay plateau, the two activists defended themselves against a background of climate emergency.
Even if the president of the hearing reminded them that "the court does not make politics, but judges facts, in this case quite simple", they were able to develop their environmental arguments.
Gif-sur-Yvette, October 15, 2021. After an action by Extinction Rebellion, activists climbed on a crane to hang a banner "SOS STOP L18".
LP/C.Ch.
"A metro line and a development of the Saclay plateau carried out in a denial of democracy", "destroyed some of the most fertile lands in France", "dramatic consequences for ecology and biodiversity", "a pharaonic cost — 4.5 billion euros – for line 18 which does not correspond to local travel needs”, “condemnation of the State for climate inaction”…
In twelve points, Happy summarized the motivations for his actions, with great difficulty in containing his emotion by evoking the reports of the IPCC and the alerts launched in vain by scientists "for years".
“But you are accused of having entered a construction site closed to the public, of having prevented workers from working and of having climbed on a crane to hang a banner there, replies the president of the court.
The plaintiff company
(Editor's note: absent during the trial and which did not bring a civil action)
estimates the damage suffered at 12,000 euros.
Do you recognize these facts?
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Of "civil disobedience", "without violence or degradation"
“We do civil disobedience with our faces uncovered, recognize Léo and Paul.
We therefore take responsibility for our actions.
But we did not commit any violence or degradation, we acted between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., therefore especially during the workers' lunch break.
We can consider that there is a shortfall if we are down to earth.
But three hours wasted on a construction site, facing land lost forever…”
Without a criminal record, "viscerally attached to the living", the two defendants defend "a laudable cause" grants them the prosecutor.
“But an opposition does not give the right to an obstacle, an obstruction, continues the representative of the public ministry.
We do not blame them for their opinion and we see how much the cause of the climate is close to their hearts.
We are not here to say that you are radical extremists who should be silenced.
We just remind you that you have to respect the rules, not to commit an offense against the Penal Code.
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Read alsoActivists on trial for blocking the Paris ring road: "The goal is not to annoy people"
The two Extinction Rebellion activists face a year's imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros.
The prosecutor requested a two-month suspended prison sentence.
“It's a heavy sentence”, regrets Me Basile Oudet, the defense lawyer who pleaded for the release and who raises the nullity of the procedure by underlining “the imprecision and the inaccuracy of the offense retained”.
“I hope that the court will retain for my clients the ecological necessity.
Their action is potentially not legal, but it is legitimate.
It is unfortunate that they end up in court as they sacrifice their professional lives to tackle the climate emergency.
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Evry-Courcouronnes, January 13, 2023. Several environmental activists were waiting for the two defendants after the hearing to support them.
LP/C.CH.
After an hour of hearing, Paul and Leo were able to find many supporters of the collective against line 18 and other environmental activists.
The organic farmers Cristiana and Emmanuel Vandame, very impacted by the development of the Saclay plateau, were also present.
Judgment in twelve days.
