Scandalous police repression against nonviolent activists in France

From "Sortir du nucléaire" network (France):



Nuclear State, police state: scandalous repression against non-violent activists.

Following a mobilisation on an unprecedented scale, the transfer of eleven containers of highly radioactive waste from La Hague (Manche) to Gorleben (Germany) took twice as long than expected.



In France, state repression and police raged against seven militants from GANVA (Group of Anti-nuclear Non-Violent Actions) who were attached in arm tubes under the rails to stop the "train from hell" in Caen(Normandy). The Network "Sortir du nucléaire" calls supporters and all citizens to support the Ganva. Financial assistance is urgent. The trial will take place on 8 December in Caen.

Police violence and state repression: the authorities under the heel of the nuclear lobby.

It is unacceptable in response to a non-violent action that the police use violence and deliberately injure people. GANVA activists have decided to file a complaint. The decision of the prosecutor and the judge clearly shows the will power to suppress acts of civil disobedience that would prejudice the interests of the nuclear lobby. This decision follows the current trend of systematic repression of protests and acts of political protest.

These facts show us once again that nuclear power is incompatible with democracy and can not withstand true transparency. If the population had actually been informed of the risks and dangers inherent in using the atom, the nuclear industry could not develop so easily in France

Background

On November 5, 2010, a convoy of German vitrified highly radioactive compound of 11 containers "Castor", left Valognes (France) to reach the storage site in Gorleben, Germany. At 3:40pm , 5 GANVA activists attached themselves under the rails with arm tubes at 100 m from a Viaduct, just before the Caen train station, forcing the train to stop. It remained stationary for 3 and a half hours. The philosophy of this action was peaceful and non-violent and not having to physically confront the police. The actual blocking of the train was based on physical barriers.  Five militants were attached  inside metal tubes passed under the tracks. It was the responsibility of the "gendarmes" and police to remove everyone safely!

Instead facing pressure from their superiors, the police lost their cool and injured three people by cutting the tubes. Even after the first person was injured, they continued in the same brutal manner.  One of them had two severed tendons in his hand and had to undergo surgery, the other two were burned and must undergo a skin graft. Both directly burned were placed in custody and could not consult a doctor again until much later the next day. The militant who had two severed tendons was directly led into custody under police escort when leaving the hospital. In the end, six activists were kept in custody for 24 hours and seven are subject to bail before the case with 16 500 € to pay before November 15.

If they don't pay they will be incarcerated until their trial, to be held on 8 December 2pm at the Tribunal de Grande Instance (TGI) in Caen.

Faced with this injustice , Network "Sortir du nucléaire" , calls for financial solidarity and massive support for the GANVA activists in Caen on 8 December.

Our resistance knows no boundaries!
Notre résistance ne connait pas de frontière !
Unser Widerstand kennt keine Staatsgrenzen!

Press Contacts:
Steven Mitchell +33 (0)952 495 022
Sophie Morel + 33 (0)6 83 55 15 24

Information, online donation:
http://groupes.sortirdunucleaire.org/blogs/train-d-enfer-transport-la-hague/article/action-de-blocage-du-ganva-a-caen

To support the GANVA, cheque payable to the APSAJ (in euros)  - Association for Solidarity and Legal Aid: APSAJ, 6 during the Allied 35000 - Rennes

Code IBAN : FR76 4255 9000 5541 0200 1473 207
Code BIC :  CCOPFRPPXXX

Contact GANVA: ganva [at] riseup.net
http://ganva.blogspot.com (in French)
English version of website