A69: Riot Police Try To Dislodge 4ecureuils' At The 'Crem'Arbre' ZAD, Saix, France - 20 Feb 2024

Sympathizers of the 'Ecureuils' are trying to comfort themselves in the woods in Saix, Tarn Departement, on the planned A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. Opponents of this project have established a ZAD named 'Crem'Arbre,' where 'Ecureuils,' or 'squirrels,' are living in the trees to prevent them from being cut down. Gendarmes Mobiles (riot police) are intervening to clear the ZAD of all opponents and are now standing guard near the trees occupied by the 'Ecureuils' to block the supply of food and water by sympathizers. The Gendarmes Mobiles have cleared the nearby area of all opponents, and a special unit of policemen, CNAMO, is intervening to dislodge the 'Ecureuils' from their trees. After two days of police efforts, they have dislodged only one 'Ecureuil.' The LDH (Human Rights League) has come to give medical supplies to the 'Ecureuils.' Meanwhile, new trees are being occupied by 'Ecureuils' in a new location called 'Cal'Arbre.' The main collective 'La Voie est Libre,' or 'The Way is Free,' wants the construction of the highway to be halted until all judicial decisions on the matter are made. Not all expropriations for farmers have been resolved. Opponents of the project argue that reprofiling the N126 would be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway is projected to cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros, without inflation) for 54 kilometers. More than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural fields are at risk of destruction. This is happening in Saix, France, on February 21, 2024.