Final communique of the tractors-bikes demonstration of the 09th of Januaryu 9 janvier

The entirety of the anti-airport movement, with all its organizations and collectives, prepared the demo of January 9th in less than ten days. It was needed to demand the immediate abandon of the eviction trial initiated December 7th and re-scheduled for January 13th by AGO (airport conglomerate)/VINCI (contractor) in the name of the State. The eviction process concerns 4 farms and 11 family homes...

We would like to thank the farmers who came with their tractors, more than 450, to yell the rage of the world of small farmers. These eviction threats, which don’t even respect the winter truce (evictions are normally forbidden in the winter months- until march, because it’s cruel), with threats to seize land, property, and livestock, with exorbitant daily fees if they stay, are unprecedented, and intolerable. We would like to thank the more than 20,000 people who came, on bike or on foot, to bring their support to the residents and farmers.

And we would like to thank the thousands and thousands of people who support us in this struggle, and who showed their support today in more than 40 simultaneous demonstrations across France, and even further, like the one in Barcelona. We made a demonstration of our collective force, capable of defining and holding together innovative forms of struggle, in a militant and joyful atmosphere: a tractor-bike critical mass on the Nantes ring-road. We have affirmed the cohesion of a rich and diversified movement, determined to give up nothing to save the lands of the ZAD and all those who make them live...

Last night, a message was addressed to President Hollande to have him respect his word that there would be no evictions and no construction work before the end of the legal appeals process. The “water law” and “endangered species” are still in appeals court. The respect of the president’s word, would thus lead us to believe that he should wait, and thus cancel this eviction process.

The silence of Mr. Hollande has become deafening at this hour. He can still hear reason and intervene with AGO/VINCI to abandon the trial before the 13th. Our determination stays intact to force the abandon of the trial. Together we are capable of opposing any attempt to begin construction, and capable to tear from their hands the abandon of this project.

RDV if necessary in front of the courthouse in Nantes Wednesday January 13th at 10:30am