Editorial photo #11209004 Social Issue
XR'action Dubbed 'Hello Darkness' Against The Highway A69 Toulouse-Castres
Activists from Extinction Rebellion are standing in front of the Capitole in Toulouse, France, on May 4, 2024, holding placards that read 'Stop A69, another way is possible', 'No fuel in our schools', and 'No more vegetables for our kids'. Extinction Rebellion Toulouse is organizing an action called 'Hello Darkness' in front of the town hall, the Capitole, to protest against the controversial A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. They are also protesting against the construction of several bitumen plants near schools and organic vegetable producers along the A69. Some activists have fake bitumen on them to symbolize the pollution from asphalt production. Police have intervened and arrested five people. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' is demanding that construction of the highway be halted until all judicial decisions are made. The expropriations for farmers have not been resolved. Opponents of the project argue that reprofiling the N126 would be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles expected per day and would cost much less. The A69 highway is projected to cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros, excluding inflation) for 54 kilometers, and its construction would destroy habitats for over 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural land. (Photo by Alain Pitton/NurPhoto)
