[Bure-FR]Clashes, Discussions, Repression

 Saturday, first day of the inter-committee weekend in and around Mandres-en-Barrois (Region: Meuse)

In the Morning the people that slept in the House of Resistance in Bure went in some kind of demonstration to Mandres without problems (it was forbidden by the prefecture to have any kind of demonstration in the region).

The police installed itself in the villages around, making the siege, which is anyway in place since the eviction, heavier than before.

Few hours of inter-committee discussions took place in the Barn of the new house, switching between assembly and small-group discussions. At least 10 existing committees and 11 committees in construction took part in the discussions.

After the discussion time, people prepared themselves for the demo in direction of the “bois Lejuc”, which is the formerly occupied forest, evicted 9 days before. There was the proposal from part of the people to build a watch-point next to the former south-barricade, on a field owned by a friend. Something not really illegal.

The police left some of their positions in Mandres, so the way out of the village in direction of the forest was free. A few hundred people left the village on the path leading directly to the forest. Many people wearing masks, but also carrying parts of the watchtower, shields and reinforced banners.

On the crossroad between former south-barricade, Bure and Mandres the gendarmerie deployed itself, blocking the path to the forest and to the field for the watch-point. They had a water-cannon and something around 100-200 cops were there. A helicopter was circling in the air.

Before reaching the gendarmerie-forces, the demo stopped and spread in direction of the south-east part of the forest. Carrying the parts of the watch-point, people weren’t really fast/mobile. The Gendarmes reorganized their forces, forming a line, blocking the people from going in direction of the forest. People tried to break through with shields and reinforced banners but get pushed back by the gendarmes, using tonfas and teargas.

Small clashes took place at different points, but the gendarmerie-forces were way to heavy and managed to push the people back to the path, continuously using teargas.

So the demo moved back in direction of Mandres, with the gendarmes following behind, forming a line 20-40 meters away, on the east-side of the demo. On the half way back, part of the demo attacked the gendarmes walking on the side, resulting in more teargas being shot and the gendarmes leaving a bigger distance with the demo.

The demo came back to Mandres. The gendarmerie took back their positions in/around the village, putting the siege back in place.

Some owls from Bure and the surroundings.

Sunday, second day of the inter-committee weekend in and around Mandres-en-Barrois (Region: Meuse).

Like the day before, people came from Bure in a Group to join the activities in Mandres.

Throughout the whole day, the satursday’s inter-committee discussions continued, talking about how to organize in the committees and how to fight.

Beside that, people gathered for another attempt to go to the forest. Again, there was a few hundred people that left the village, but this time without the parts of the watchtower. The march wasn’t taking the direct path to the forest, but instead went in direction of Bonnet, crossing the “Ormancon” river and than went North through the fields and small forests. Helicopter and Plane of Andra were circling in the air.

At some point, the gendarmerie approached from West and North, blocking the way of the people. From then, people spread in the fields, trying to make a circle around the lpolice’s lines. Confronting them again and again in different ways and on various points of their line which got more and more loose. The wind was blowing in the right direction, making the teargas hit the gendarmes themselves instead of the people. Still people didn’t manage to break through and when gendarmerie-forces appeared on South-East of the road between Mandres and Bonnet, people started to retread.

They regrouped on the road and then left in direction of Mandres, followed quickly by the gendarmes, whom made an ambush and catched 9 people.

The Group reached Mandres after some more confrontations on the way. The gendarmes followed into the village, shooting teargas and taking back “their” positions.

One person was set free after short time, 8 were kept in custody over night.

Some owls from Bure and surroundings.

Monday, day one after the inter-committee weekend in and around Mandres-en-Barrois (Region: Meuse).

Repression:

One of the persons in custody accepted an immediate trial, resulting in 3 months on parole and one year of territory interdiction from Meuse.

The other 7 people will stay in custody for one more night.

Tuesday, day two after the inter-committee weekend in and around Mandres-en-Barrois (Region: Meuse).

Repression:

Bar le Duc, the district around the court is occupied by the CRS (police).

In the morning there’s a trial against a person, accused of carrying a “cake-spoon” and 2 knifes. The prosecutor asked for 2 month of prison on parole. The court will decide on the 24th of april.

In the afternoon there’s a pre–trial against a friend arrested on Sunday. He refused to get an immediate trial. The prosecutor asked to keep him until the trial, but the judge decided to put him under juridical control and to forbid him to come in “Meuse” until his trial.

The trial will be the 04th of April.

The six other friends caught on Sunday are released throughout the afternoon, after 48 hours in custody. The trial against them will be on the 23rd of Mai at 14h in Bar le Duc.

Throughout the day, many of us were there, to support our friends.

News from the Forest:

Continuously, trucks are leaving the forest ; protected by the police and carrying wood and pieces of the wall.

You are wellcome to translate this to German. If you do so, send it to: sauvonslaforet [at] riseup.net as well.