More than 3,000 police and gendarmerie are on alert in west France ahead of new protests against the controversial mega-reservoir projects in the region, with up to 10,000 protesters expected to attend.
Mega-reservoirs (mégabassines in French) are huge basins of water intended for use by farmers.
The idea is that the reservoirs will take water from nearby waterways and pump from the water table during the winter months when the water table is usually high. Farmers can use this and so not need to take water from the increasingly-empty water table during the summer.
Many reservoirs are on the point of being built, but they have been controversial for years.
Read also: What are France’s ‘mega reservoirs’ and why are they so controversial?
Read also: Go-ahead for controversial ‘mega reservoirs’ in west France
‘Water village’ camp
Now, activists are mounting new protests and have set up a camp in Melle (Deux-Sèvres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine), dubbed the ‘water village’, with a ‘festival-style’ atmosphere. Beginning yesterday (July 17), the camp is set to be in place until Sunday, July 21.
The 10-hectare site has giant marquees, stalls, a ‘mega-canteen’, a bar, camping areas, and a ‘bambinerie’ for children. There will also be discussions, ‘round tables’ and training sessions. The camp was set up with agreement from Melle authorities, after a similar event took place in March 2023.
The activists are demanding a ‘moratorium’ on the construction of mega-reservoirs.
More than 120 organisations, associations, trade unions and collectives are involved, including activist groups Bassines Non Merci (BNM), Soulèvements de la Terre, Attac, Union syndicale Solidaires, Confédération paysanne, and hydrologists group Scientists in Rebellion.
“Choosing to host this village after the one in March 2023, which went well in Melle, was not an issue for me,” said Sylvain Griffault, the mayor of Melle, to France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
“There is no reason for things to drift into anything untoward, if everyone keeps their cool and calm.”
Violence fears
Despite Mr Griffault’s confidence, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has said that he fears that “great violence” could break out from “radicalised” demonstrators, especially as a farmers' union is calling for counter-demonstrations.
“We are expecting between 6,000 and 8,000 demonstrators, including a thousand extremely violent people, who could be described as radicalised,” he said to FranceInfo. “More than a hundred ultra-left activists’ from neighbouring European countries have been banned from entering France.”
More than 5,000 people have already been stopped by police since the protest began, and 400 “dangerous objects” have been seized on the outskirts of Melle (Deux-Sèvres), the Niort public prosecutor told FranceInter on July 17.
Among the items seized were knives, iron bars, axes, pétanque balls, fireworks, and flammable liquids.
Major action planned
Organisers have announced plans for two major actions.
Friday 19, at Saint-Sauvant (Vienne), the site of a future basin.
Saturday 20, outside the agro-industrial terminal in the port of La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime).
This is despite the Vienne prefecture having banned ‘all demonstrations’ in and around the commune of Saint-Sauvant.
It said in a press release that “the latest undeclared demonstrations by these same organisers have led to violent outbursts, with attacks on property and people, and more particularly unacceptable attacks on the police”.
Yet, demonstrators have “no intention of attacking farmers or their farms”, said La Coordination antibassines, and accused the prefecture of “fanning the flames of fear and tension”.
It comes after the most recent major demonstration against the mega-reservoirs - which took place in the Puy-de-Dôme region and was authorised by the local prefecture - did not give rise to any violent incidents.
The Charente prefecture has said that it is still “awaiting the official declaration of the gatherings announced for Saturday”, and said in a press release that “all necessary measures will be taken to ensure the safety of people and property during the day”.
Why are France’s mega-reservoirs so controversial?
Critics say that rather than improve the state of the water table, the reservoirs will worsen it, exacerbating the existing drought-prone situation.
They also believe that the reservoirs represent an unequal state of water sharing at a time of worsening drought, and unfairly prioritise water for farmers at the expense of the rest of the population.
Read also: How do I see if any drought rules are affecting my French home?
Read also: 84 areas of south of France declared drought disaster zones: what changes?
Ongoing studies by groups of scientists such as the IPCC, the High Council for Climate and INRAE (Institut national de recherche sur l'agriculture l'alimentation et l'environnement) have so far appeared inconclusive about these reservoirs.
The studies confirm both the need for agriculture to adapt to drier summers in the future, and the need to find solutions - but they are also unsure about the capacity to fill these basins every year between now and the end of the century, due to highly-variable rainfall from one year to the next.
The size of the reservoirs is also controversial, as critics say that they could “unbalance” water tables. Some scientists also say that instead of hoarding water, farmers should instead develop and farm less water-intensive crops.
History of violence
Controversy also rose around the mega-reservoirs after major violence erupted at protests against the Sainte-Soline basin (also Deux-Sèvres) in 2023. Police fired more than 5,000 tear gas grenades in less than 90 minutes in a bid to disperse the demonstrators.
Many were severely injured, and one man was left in a coma.
The Ligue des droits de l'Homme (Human Rights League), said that there had been “excessive and indiscriminate use of force” by the gendarmes, and “obstruction of assistance” to the injured. The police denied this.
Read also: Several injured in ‘water basin protest’ in France: what happened?
Read also: Man in coma after ‘intolerable violence’ at France reservoir protests
Last year’s violence, however, is partly why there will be a significant police presence and preparation this time.
Mr Darmanin announced that there would be a major police presence in Niort (Deux-Sèvres) from July 15, with mobile force units having arrived on July 16. More than 3,000 gendarmes and police officers will be on-site by the weekend.
This is similar to the numbers on-site at Sainte-Soline in 2023.
Read also: Protests over ‘absurd’ farming water reservoirs in France injure 91
Reluctant dialogue?
Another source of controversy comes from authorities and counter-critics’ claims that the activists are not particularly open or amenable to discussions or negotiations.
The prefectures of Deux-Sèvres, Vienne and Charente-Maritime this week said that “representatives of the organisations…have not responded” to invitations to attend forthcoming discussions.
However, the activist group BNM hit back, saying that these prefectures “refuse to enter into any dialogue with the opponents, other than to put on a show aimed at justifying repressive measures”.
Yet, the group said that it was amenable to discussions “with the relevant departments of the prefecture in the next few days”.
Counter-protests
Farmers and agricultural workers, namely the Coordination rurale (the majority farming union in the Vienne) had called for a “peaceful and determined” counter-demonstration on Friday July 19 in Melle, “alongside the forces of law and order’”.
However, on July 16, the Deux-Sèvres prefecture said that it had not yet received any declaration of this event. The prefect said that, in any case, the existing protest ban would apply to “all organisers”, whichever side they are on.
Farmers argue that the mega-reservoirs are a good solution to water shortages during the summer, and will help to preserve their essential water source during hotter months.
