Activists take to treetops to oppose huge canal scheme linking Paris to Belgium and Netherlands
The planned Seine-Nord Europe Canal will be 107 kilometres or 66 miles long, and will link the Paris region with the waterway network in northern France, ultimately ensuring navigation between the French capital and the inland waters of Belgium and the Netherlands. This new canal will start at Compiègne north of Paris and end near Cambrai in the north of the country. Mediapart's Margaux Houcine met opponents of the scheme who took to the treetops at Compiègne – before being removed by the police - to highlight what they see as both a pointless and environmentally-unfriendly project.
“We“We're not really occupying the trees out of choice, but because it's the only way to make ourselves heard.” Bertrand* and his fellow protestor Maka* were explaining why they were part of a group of campaigners perched at the top of a plane tree on Rue de l’Estacade in Compiègne, north of Paris, last Wednesday. Their environmental protest did not continue for much longer; in the early afternoon of Thursday, these “squirrels” - as they have been dubbed by fellow campaigners - came down after being evicted by the police. Two people were arrested and taken into custody, one for “organising an unauthorised protest”, the other for “threatening police officers”.
