Protests were conducted in numerous French towns on June 21, in support of the climate activist organization Soulèvements de la Terre. The French cabinet decided to close Soulèvements de la Terre (the Earth Uprisings), a collective of climate activist organizations, in response to a request from President Emmanuel Macron, government spokesperson Olivier Véran informed the media earlier on June 21.
The process of disbanding the organization began in March, following a demonstration in western France over proposed "mega water basins" for farm irrigation that resulted in violent clashes with police, according to CNN. Police shot tear gas and vehicles were set on fire, resulting in significant casualties to both police personnel and demonstrators, reported Reuters.
"The freedoms of protest and expression are not in jeopardy. It's not ideas that are being sanctioned, but the repetitive use of violence against property and people that has transpired in recent weeks," Véran explained. "The use of violence is not legitimate in the rule of law," he continued.
BFMTV informed that 14 members associated with the organization were arrested on June 20 as part of an inquiry regarding a December 2022 protest action against a large cement factory.
"We see it as a call to set up a network of resistance, as an opportunity to help even more people join the next actions of Soulèvements de la Terre," the organisation stated in a news statement shared with CNN. "The government claimed to have made us disappear, but in reality, we are becoming more visible," the statement said.
Soulèvements de la Terre, which claims 110,000 registered members, has confirmed preparations for further rallies this summer.
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