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

Thomas Brail, an activist and arborist climber, is filming to show the heavy police presence near the 'Crem'Arbre' ZAD in the woods in Saix, Tarn Department, France, on February 21, 2024. Opponents of the planned A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres have established a ZAD, or Zone To Defend, called 'Crem'Arbre', and individuals nicknamed 'Ecureuils' ('Squirrels') are living in the trees to prevent them from being cut down. The 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 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) is providing medical supplies to the 'Ecureuils'. Meanwhile, new trees are being occupied by 'Ecureuils' in a new area called 'Cal'Arbre'. The main collective 'La Voie est Libre' ('The Way is Free') is demanding that the construction of the highway be halted until all judicial decisions on the matter are made. The expropriations for farmers have not been resolved. Opponents argue that the reprofiling of the N126 would be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles expected per day and would cost significantly less. The A69 highway is projected to cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros, excluding inflation) for 54 kilometers, and its construction would destroy over 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural land.