Click image to zoom

'Roue Libre': Protest Against The A69 Highway Turns Violent

Activist climber Thomas Brail, founder of the GNSA (Groupement national de Surveillance des Arbres), is filming himself as he shows riot policemen. Nearly 5,000 people are participating in a weekend of action called 'Roue Libre' in the Tarn department against the controversial highway A69 between Toulouse and Castres. The farmers' union, Confederation Paysanne, is planting trees and seeds on a portion of a field that will be destroyed by the A69 highway. Several political parties, unions, and NGOs (Attac, LVEL, Confederation Paysanne, GNSA, XR, etc.) are calling for this weekend of protest. Police are trying to block the exit from the camp to protesters. Several processions are taking place and going to different locations. Protesters are trying to reach several objectives and are being blocked by 1,200 riot police, two helicopters, two armored vehicles, and a deluge of tear gas canisters and explosive grenades. More than 20 protesters are being injured by riot police, with two being driven to the hospital due to their injuries. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') is demanding that the construction of the highway be stopped until all judicial decisions on the content are given. All expropriations for farmers are not cleared. Opponents of this project are saying that the reprofiling of the N126 will be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway is costing EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers. More than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural fields are being destroyed. Puylaurens, Tarn, France, on June 8, 2024. (Photo by Alain Pitton/NurPhoto)

Photo Details

Photo ID	#11317346
Date Taken	8 June 2024
Location	N/A
Photographer	Alain Pitton/NurPhoto
Category	Environmental Issue
Copyright	© 2025 NurPhoto - Alain Pitton/NurPhoto

Related Keywords

ecology highway protest la voie est libre lvel Confederation paysanne gnsa soulevements de la terre environment nature law btp collective national road n126 A69 public works politics opposition opponent objector protester climate nge XR Extinction Rebellion climate change global warming castres concrete france nature destruction concreting atosca activist riot police gendarmerie mobile crs Puylaurens public money waste occitanie attac tarn riot police public interest gathering protest activistes violence pacifism armored armored vehicles tear gas canister gml2l gnsa toulouse thomas brail

License This Photo

Digital Basic Editorial use on digital platforms only (websites, social media). Single use, up to 1 million monthly UVs. Worldwide distribution. NO COMMERCIAL OR PROMOTIONAL USE

€35.00

Editorial Print & Digital For editorial use in print and digital publications such as newspapers, magazines, and textbooks. Single use, up to 10,000 copies or 1 million UVs. Worldwide distribution. NO COMMERCIAL OR PROMOTIONAL USE

€99.00

Broadcast (TV & Digital) For editorial use in TV production or streaming platforms. Single use, all media rights excluding theatrical, with worldwide distribution in perpetuity. NO COMMERCIAL OR PROMOTIONAL USE

€399.00

Total Price

€35.00

Secure checkout

Need a custom license?

Contact Sales