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A69 Highway: 'Ecureuils' Occupy Trees In Front Of The Administrative Court Of Toulouse

Squirrels ('Ecureuils') stand in a tree near the Administrative Court of Toulouse. Thomas Brail, the activist and arborist-climber, and 'Ecureuils' (i.e., 'squirrels') from the GNSA ('National Group of Trees Watching') occupy trees in front of the Administrative Court of Toulouse to convey to the justices, 'We are looking at you,' and to raise awareness among passers-by. Tomorrow, the last hearing (in theory) against the environmental authorization to build the A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres takes place at the Administrative Court of Toulouse. In December, surprising everyone, the judge decides to reopen the files instead of giving the court decision on the content. Plaintiffs (LVEL, Attac, Amis de la Terre, D'Ingrando, etc.) against the planned highway A69 go on 'administrative' trial against the French State along with the builder, NGE, and its concessionary Atosca. Alice Terrasse, the main lawyer for 'La Voie Est Libre' (opponents), pleads, among other things, that the main reason for building this highway: a 'Major Imperative for Public Interest' is invalid, as the 'Rapporteur Public' did before. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free'), opponents want the building of the highway to be stopped until all the justice decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say 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 costs EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers. In Toulouse, France, on February 17, 2025. (Photo by Alain Pitton/NurPhoto)

Photo ID	#12065009
Date Taken	17 February 2025
Location	N/A
Photographer	Alain Pitton/NurPhoto
Category	Environmental Issue
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Alain Pitton/NurPhoto

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