A comrade killed at Testet – Callout for protests against the violence of the government – at Nantes and elsewhere

Rémi, 21 years old, died in the night of Saturday-Sunday in Sivens. According to several corroborating accounts, he collapsed a few meters from the camp, having been shot in the shoulder, and was immediately picked up by the police. Was it a ‘flash-ball’ gun or, more likely, a ‘grenade désencerclement’ (similar to a stun grenade), projected from a launcher?

Only the police know who’s concealing the truth. They claim that there were no injuries among the protestors, while the medic team says that there were many on Saturday. Police say they “discovered a body”, while failing to mention the violent clashes that had taken place (the prefecture said that the fighting stopped at around 21h, neglecting to say that they resumed with greater intensity around midnight). They also claim they were unable to attend the scene on Sunday to launch an investigation (the police left abruptly after the crime and have not yet returned).

We demand that all details of this homicide come to light as soon as possible, out of respect for Remi, his family and his friends. We also hope that those responsible for this tragedy are promptly prosecuted. And for us, that the person held responsible is not just Robocop X who pulled the trigger on Saturday night – much less Rémi himself. We need to know who set up this violent situation which led inevitably to tragedy. So what exactly were the police doing in Testet on Saturday, while the prefect had stated that none would be sent to Testet over the weekend, where thousands (7000?) of activists were expected? There were no workers to protect, nor any machines to defend: the only equipment that had been left there on Friday was burnt the same night.

Why then were 250 CRS riot police armed with grenades and flash-ball guns stationed to look after a small square of land surrounded by a ditch several metres wide? Was it to protect the precious fences? Or to create tension and act as a provocation? The authorities knew very well what would happen by leaving a generator in Testet on Friday and by sending in the armada on Saturday.

At the present time when the absurdity of the proposed Testet dam appears in the cold light of day, when all the lies and conflicts of interests exposed by opponents for months have been confirmed by journalists’ investigations (Le Monde 24th October & Figaro, 26th October) and the report by government experts released today, the President of the Conseil Général and the Prefect of Tarn no longer have any case for the dam except to play up the alleged violence of opponents. They therefore needed violence on Saturday. They provoked it. It cost Rémi’s life.

We are in shock and express our sincere condolences to those close to him.

La coordination du 25 octobre

PS : We now demand that a second, independent autopsy be performed and would like the prefecture to know that if the body is not kept for this second opinion, it would be further proof that the authorities want to hide the truth. We denounce attempts to sully Rémi’s memory by suggesting that the cause of death were linked to “alcohol intake” or his “violence”.

More info: Zad.nadir.org & Paris-luttes.info & Indymedia Nantes.