La Rochelle sees turbulence as protesters clash with police

Environmental protests in La Rochelle, France, turned violent on Saturday as activists clashed with police over the construction of large irrigation reservoirs. Five protesters and a police officer were injured, and at least five activists were detained.

According to AFP, the protesters, comprising conservationists and small farmers, argue that these reservoirs benefit only large farmers by tapping into winter aquifers for summer irrigation, at the expense of smaller operations and the environment. The reservoirs, under construction across western France, are seen by supporters as essential for preventing farm closures due to recurring droughts.

The demonstration attracted nearly 4,000 environmental activists, including participants from camps around Deux-Sèvres. The protest split into two marches; one, consisting of around 2,000 activists, encountered police resistance and was dispersed by 2:00 pm local time. This led to running battles, barricades, and burning rubbish bins as protesters threw projectiles and police responded with tear gas.

"We were in the demo, they started blocking ahead and behind. They isolated us off to one side to charge everyone else," said Lilia, a 25-year-old protester.

A police source reported that about 400 participants in the march were "black bloc" far-left radicals. La Rochelle prosecutors noted that one policewoman suffered burns, while five lightly wounded demonstrators received medical attention.

In the wake of the clashes, several shops were damaged or looted, and bus shelters and advertising hoardings were vandalised. Meanwhile, a more peaceful march of about 3,000 people, including families, moved from the city centre towards the commercial port. Some used kayaks and inflatable boats to approach the La Pallice agricultural export terminal, a focal point for the protests.

Last year, mass clashes between thousands of demonstrators and police in Sainte-Soline, around 90 kilometres (56 miles) inland from La Rochelle, left two protesters in a coma and injured 30 officers.