Actions against the drilling

3 Forum posts

• # Some pieces from how the first day unfolded... 7 June 2011 at 17:44, by zadist

  On Monday morning, opponents of the airport woke up before dawn on the field where the drilling for the control tower was planned to be. Having occupied the site since the night before, barricades were put up at each entrance to the field and then reinforced by tripods (three-legged structures to support one person who climbs up out of reach). From 8am, a helicopter surveyed the site and the surrounding area.

  The police escort for the machines encountered a few interruptions on their way from Les Ardillières: First faced with a tree trunk fallen across the road, their then had to carry protesters who had also lain down on the road. From a distance, everyone could see the black smoke of tyres on fire also in their path.

  Back in the field, a herd of at least 70 cows made their entrance to join the protesters.

  When we say ’police’, we mean over equipped armoured riot cops in a convoys of trucks with the air of a military occupation... which is alas becoming a little familiar around here.

  Then to access the adjacent field to where the drilling should be, they cut the rope of one protester who was hanging in their way, cleared another blockade, and their trucks made their way slowly for the occupied field. A woman on horseback, alone in the middle of them, harassed them for a while, putting herself in from of their vehicles and avoiding their attempts to get rid of her.

  About 10am, they broke through the hedge, avoiding the barricades, with help from an excavator and a lot of tear gas while trying to disperse the protesters who were in their path. And so the machines who were to carry out the drilling made it onto the field. One protester hurt accidentally was evacuated right in the middle of the charge.

  It’s time for them to secure the perimeter of work for the drilling: bursts of pepper spray against bursts of yells; tear gas against improvised projectiles. It pushed back a part of the protesters outside of the field; while there was another group, having skirted around, re-entered the field from the other side. Perhaps a bit of a surprise for the repressive forces, who responded without any originality, with teargas. A pity, the gas got to the drillers, who had to stop their work which they’d only just begun.

  We heard amongst their ranks of helmets warning shouts of "stop firing, we’re almost out of gas!"

  When the excavator attacked the remainders of the camp, a protester ran towards it and jumped on top, before being interrupted by those dressed in blue.

  Towards midday, the police plan was in place and the work of the drilling had started, with a pestering presence of protesters.

  From the morning’s actions there were 5 people taken aside for questioning:

   2 identity checks on site
   2 identity checks at police stations
   1 detention of several hours

  For the whole afternoon, people had a presence in the next field, opposing the police while the drillers worked and at 6pm, the end of the work day, the machines left with their escorts.

• # Drillings seems finished 7 June 2011 at 21:00, by zadist

  As far as we know, the drillings were complete today (tuesday) therefore will be no furether actions.

• # Drillings would continue 8 June 2011 at 12:04, by zadist

  As far as we know, another drilling campaign may start this afternoon, it had been cancelled at the beginning of the week by the company that got the contract. However, it might begin this afternoon near the cross between D326 and N137 between La Paquelais and Grandchamps des Fontaines.