Background info on the struggle against the dam in Testet: 1, 2
According to a statement from squatters in the ZAD of Notre-Dame-des-Landes, during the night between Saturday and Sunday the 26th of October 2014 a protester named Remi was killed in clashes that broke out after a rally against the construction of a dam along the Sivens forest in the wetland of Testet in the Tarn department (southern France).
Around 7000 people gathered in the ZAD (zone to be defended) of Testet, after months of police attacks and destruction of the wetland and habitations of those who defend the area. In the late evening and overnight, dozens of people attacked the forces of order that were protecting the dam construction site. Activists expressed their anger trying to delay the resumption of works, originally scheduled for Monday the 27th of October.
The cops fired rubber bullets (known as flash-balls), distraction devices such as stun hand grenades and fragmentation grenades, and tear gases. According to testimonies of protesters from the Testet wetland area, Remi must have collapsed after being hit with a grenade; then his body was reportedly taken by the repressive forces.
Prefectural authorities stated they did not want to comment on the matter before the official autopsy was made public on Monday. The government has already begun to stigmatize the protesters, in addition to trying to divide them in order to cover up what happened. But they know very well that, whatever they do, this death will have explosive consequences.
See footage from protest in the evening of October 26th in the town of Gaillac in the Tarn department.
Calls against state violence and updates on planned actions in Nantes and elsewhere at: zad.nadir.org & nantes.indymedia.org
