As many as 30,000 demonstrators from across France in peaceful protest against Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport
On Saturday perhaps as many as almost 40,000 people (estimates range from 13,500 to 40,000) – and some 400 tractors – gathered to protest against the proposed airport Notre-Dame-des-Landes. Despite the strong mobilization, socialists politicians do not want to abandon the project – which was supported strongly by Jean-Marc Ayrault. – who used to be Mayor of Nantes and is now Prime Minister. This was the reoccupation demonstration, aiming to try and reoccupy some of the land evacuated forcefully by police last month on the site of the future airport. Behind a large banner: “Against the airport and its world the struggle takes off”, the protesters gained a wooded area where they built a small house to shelter opponents, using a human chain and tractors to bring in the wood for construction. The prefecture has reiterated that these buildings were will not be allowed to remain, but the protesters intend to stay. They have set up a tent on land loaned by a local farmer as a new headquarters for the opposition and a first meeting to define “strategy” to follow in the coming days, is scheduled for Sunday.
[ For other news about Nantes airport over recent months see Nantes Airport News ]
http://www.20minutes.fr/article/1044716/notre-dame-des-landes-entre-13500-30000-manifestants-contre-aeroport
Notre-Dame-des-Landes: Between 13,500 and 30,000 demonstrators against the airport
.
.
Nearly 40,000 demonstrators against Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport
On Saturday around 40 000 people gathered to protest against the proposed airport Notre-Dame-des-Landes. Despite the strong mobilization, elected socialists do not want to abandon the project dear to Jean-Marc Ayrault.
From 13 000 to 40 000 people estimated of all ages, from all over France, handicapped or disabled, group or family and very different persuasions, Saturday invaded the grove north of Nantes to oppose airport project Notre-Dame-des-Landes.
http://www.france24.com/fr/20121117-france-nantes-notre-dame-landes-forte-mobilisation-projet-aeroport-ayrault-gauche-manifestation
.
.
Notre-Dame-des-Landes: The airport is full of opponents
17.11.2012 (20 minutes.fr)
Between 13,500 and 38,000 people demonstrated against the proposed airport Notre-Dame-des-Landes …
Human tide of Notre-Dame-des-Landes. Nearly 38,000 people and 400 tractors took part on Saturday in the “manifestation of reoccupation” of the land evacuated last month on the site of the future airport of Nantes, according to organizers. They were 13,500, according to the prefecture.
A general meeting scheduled for Sunday
Undoubted popular success, therefore, whatever the source, “between 8 and 10,000” people and “300 tractors” were met by police in recent days. Traveling in his truck, the merchant pancake itself does not return: the stock of pancake, planned “to 600”, was passed “in two hours.”
Opponents of the airport project have already started to rebuild huts on land they could be thrown off, using recycled materials collected throughout France in recent weeks. Impressive human chains were formed to convey pieces of wood pallets using the trailers of the farmers’ tractors to get them to the place of installation. “Not everyone will stay here, but there will always be motivated people to occupy the premises,” is convinced Stephan is convinced – he is aged 35, an “enthusiastic” protestor whom we met on site.
A tent was also erected on land loaned by a local farmer. The new headquarters of the opposition was also the scene of public speaking, about similar “struggles” across the world. A first meeting to define “strategy” to follow in the coming days, is scheduled for Sunday.
http://www.20minutes.fr/societe/1044730-notre-dame-des-landes-aeroport-fait-plein-opposants
More information on this video
Des tracteurs, des manifestants et du matériel pour le chantier de reconstruction, à Notre-Dame-des-Landes. – REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
.
Photo emblématique de la première grosse journée de mobilisation ce vendredi,José Bové et Eva Joly démontant un panneau de bois devant une maison. (taking down a wood panel that has been used to board up one of the homes taken by the police last month).
.
.
Mass mobilization in Notre-Dame-des-Landes against “Ayraultport”
17.11.2012 (Libération)
Flags flying, red nose clown personalities of the left and controversial political opponents of the Nantes airport project have won their bet by mobilizingthousands of supporters at Notre-Dame-des-Landes on Saturday,
In the rain, a dense procession gathering of protesters of all ages spanned at least 5 km to denounce “the Ayraultport” project dear to the Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who was Mayor of Nantes. “Vinci emerges resistance and sabotage,” shouted the protesters in reference to the construction group that obtained the concession for 55 years from the airport.
L’ACIPA, one of the leading associations hostile to the project, claimed 40,000 people. The prefecture of Loire-Atlantique calculated 13,500 people on site and welcomed in a statement that the event was held “without incident and without overflow”, with the exception of slight damage to a press vehicle.
Behind a large banner: “Against the airport and its world alone the struggle takes off”, the protesters won a wooded area where they built a big house to shelter opponents, expelled last month by police. The prefecture has reiterated that these buildings were “destined to disappear.”
As night began to fall out of the grove, the protesters said they were determined to maintain pressure. “Gardarem Notre-Dame-des-Landes,” could be read on a sign referring to the mobilization at Larzac in the 70s.
“The project is absurd”
“Hollande, do not touch Notre-Dame-des-Landes,” proclaimed a banner brandished by some protesters, while others launched “change is now, the airport is forever.” “le changement c’est maintenant, l’aéroport c’est jamais”.
Among the politicians present, Jean-Luc Mélenchon found that François Hollande and Jean-Marc Ayrault committed “a grave mistake” by trying to impose the airport project. “The project is absurd,” said co-chairman of the Left Party. “There is a choice dictated by the new government, which is the choice of the brutal and violent power relationship ” he complained.
On Friday, Francois Hollande warned opponents of the project. “I respect the right to protest” and “I make sure that all claims can be processed by an independent judiciary,” said the president. “But at the same time,” he added, “there is also the force of law and the primacy of the will, not only of the state but also politicians, and even beyond the political shifts.”
Taking over, Harlem Désir, first secretary of the PS, said on Saturday that “the majority party in government should not be involved in events that target the prime minister,” about opposition to the project by ecologists EELV, who are however members of the executive.
In response, the national secretary of the Greens Europe Ecologie-Pascal Durand, assured in the procession that “we do not demonstrate against the prime minister or the government, it is the opposite.” “We are demonstrating so that the government respects the commitments to change that it made to the French men and women.”
The project is intended to replace the current airport of Nantes in 2017.
In a statement, the local elected socialist politicians who are in favor of the project assured they would not let “the Bové orJoly Mélenchon jeopardize the development of the area.” “We are not the Larzac. It is not going to establish a military camp, but transfer equipment that will create thousands of jobs”, they argued.
The prefecture has deplored “the intolerable comments” on France 3 held by an opponent who had “instigated acts of sabotage and destruction of property.” These comments will be reported to the public prosecutor in Nantes, warned the prefecture.
Elsewhere in France, between 100 and 200 people gathered to protest against Lille in the project, forming a carpet of earth and dead leaves at the entrance to a Vinci car park..
==================================================================
French:
Drapeaux au vent, nez rouges de clown, personnalités de gauche et polémique politique: les opposants au projet d’aéroport de Nantes ont réussi leur pari en mobilisant samedi à Notre-Dames-des-Landes plusieurs milliers de sympathisants.
Sous la pluie, un cortège très dense rassemblant des manifestants de tous âges, s’étendait sur au moins 5 kilomètres afin de dénoncer “l’Ayraultport”, le projet cher au Premier ministre Jean-Marc Ayrault, ancien maire de Nantes. “Vinci dégage, résistance et sabotage”, criaient les contestataires en référence au groupe de BTP qui a obtenu pour 55 ans la concession de l’aéroport.
L’Acipa, une des principales associations hostiles au projet, a revendiqué 40.000 personnes. La préfecture de Loire-Atlantique a calculé 13.500 personnes sur place et s’est félicitée dans un communiqué que la manifestation se soit déroulée “sans incident et sans débordement”, à l’exception de la dégradation d’un véhicule de presse.
Derrière une grande banderole: “Contre l’aéroport et son monde seule la lutte décolle”, les manifestants ont gagné une zone boisée dans laquelle ils ont édifié un chapiteau censé abriter les opposants, expulsés le mois dernier par les forces de l’ordre. La préfecture a répété que ces constructions avaient “vocation à disparaître”.
Alors que la nuit commençait à tomber sur le bocage, les manifestants se disaient décidés à maintenir la pression. “Gardarem Notre-Dame-des-Landes”, pouvait-on lire sur une pancarte évoquant la mobilisation au Larzac dans les années 70.
“Le projet est absurde”
“Hollande, touche pas à Notre-Dame-des-Landes”, proclamait une banderole brandie par certains manifestants, alors que d’autres lançaient “le changement c’est maintenant, l’aéroport c’est jamais”.
Parmi les personnalités politiques présentes, Jean-Luc Mélenchon a estimé que François Hollande et Jean-Marc Ayrault commettaient “une lourde erreur” en cherchant à imposer le projet d’aéroport. “Le projet est absurde”, a estimé le coprésident du Parti de gauche. “Il y a un choix dicté par le nouveau gouvernement, qui est le choix du rapport de force brutal et violent”, a-t-il dénoncé.
Vendredi, François Hollande a mis en garde les opposants au projet. “Je respecte le droit de manifestation” et “je fais en sorte que tous les recours puissent être traités par une justice indépendante”, a déclaré le président. “Mais, en même temps, a-t-il ajouté, il y a aussi la force du droit et la primauté de la volonté, non seulement de l’Etat mais aussi des élus, et au-delà même des alternances politiques”.
Prenant le relais, Harlem Désir, premier secrétaire du PS, a affirmé samedi qu’un “parti de la majorité gouvernementale ne devrait pas s’impliquer dans des manifestations qui prennent pour cible le Premier ministre”, à propos de l’opposition au projet des écologistes d’EELV, pourtant membres de l’exécutif.
En réponse, le secrétaire national d’Europe-Ecologie Les Verts, Pascal Durand, a assuré dans le cortège que “nous ne manifestons pas contre le Premier ministre ni le gouvernement, c’est le contraire”. “Nous manifestons pour que le gouvernement respecte les engagements de changement qu’il a pris devant les Français et les Françaises”.
Le projet est destiné à remplacer l’actuel aéroport de Nantes à partir de 2017.
Dans un communiqué, des élus socialistes locaux favorables au projet ont assuré qu’ils ne se laisseraient pas “des Bové, Joly ou Mélenchon mettre en cause le développement de ce territoire”. “Nous ne sommes pas le Larzac. Il ne s’agit pas d’implanter un camp militaire, mais de transférer un équipement qui permettra la création de milliers d’emplois”, ont-ils fait valoir.
La préfecture a déploré “les propos intolérables” tenus sur France 3 par une opposante qui aurait “incité à commettre des actions de sabotage et de destructions de matériels”. Ces propos seront signalés au procureur de la République de Nantes, a averti la préfecture.
Ailleurs en France, entre 100 et 200 personnes se sont rassemblées à Lille pour protester contre le projet, en constituant un tapis de terre et de feuilles mortes à l’entrée d’un parking Vinci.
Notre-Dame-des-Landes: Holland must “listen to the mobilization,” according to Jean-Vincent Place
The government can not remain on a fixed position and also as a caricature …
“President François Hollande must listen to the mobilization against the proposed future airport of Nantes, “said EELV Senator Jean-Vincent Place on Saturday;, at the event on the website of Notre-Dame-des-Landes.
Reacting to the AFP about Hollande, who argued on Friday about the airport project dear to his Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault , former mayor of Nantes, Place felt that the president should “listen to the mobilization on the ground. “
“The government can not remain on a fixed position and also as a caricature,” said Senator ecologist at the event which brought together thousands of people on the site of the airport project.
At the same time, Harlem Désir , first secretary of the PS, warned that “the majority party government should not be involved in events that target the Prime Minister. “
“I do not understand that call into question the participation of his party in the majority, when we are engaged in action, because our duties towards France are much larger than the small states of soul or personal quarrels of parties, “said Desire.
Friday, Francois Hollande warned opponents of the construction of the airport.
“I respect the right to protest and I make sure that all claims can be processed by an independent judiciary, the president said. But at the same time, he added, there is also the force of law and the primacy of the will, not only the state but also politicians, and even beyond the political shifts. “
Between 13,500 and 40,000 opponents of Notre-Dame-des-Landes
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Olivier Besancenot, José Bové and a large delegation of parliamentarians of Europe Ecologie Les Verts EELV will be part of the procession as well as residents expelled from their homes, farmers deprived of their land, supporters of all sides motivated to protect 1650 hectares of nature and rural housing.
Already yesterday, Friday 16 November, some of these elected officials reopened the perimeter of the houses that have been boarded up, on the land where the planned airport would be built, as shown in this video … [see video clip – link below)
A project for over 10 years sees rise in the number of protesters at a time when agricultural land i sdisappearing at the rate of one department every 7 years. This is a project in the middle of farmland , not connected by any road or rail infrastructure, hoping to serve an airport to accommodate 9 million people by 2050. Nantes Atlantique Airport (the existing airport close to Nantes) is far from full and could have its flight pathr routed away from the city center. It runway and terminal could be expanded on the reserve land without jeopardizing the environment as it would in Notre Dame des Landes. Why not improve the already existing airport? This might perhaps assemble the left which is very divided on this project supported by the Socialist Party and the current Prime Minister.
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/en-direct-notre-dame-des-landes-plusieurs-milliers-de-manifestants-attendus_1188556.html Crédit photo: Alexis Braud