"Supporters of the 'squirrels' are protesting the constructio..."

#10920766

18 January 2024

Supporters of the 'squirrels' are protesting the construction of the A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. As the controversial project continues, four arborist-climbers, nicknamed 'squirrels,' are currently on trial at the courthouse in Toulouse, France, on January 17, 2024, for obstructing the felling of trees near Verfeuil by occupying them. Supporters have gathered to back the 'squirrels.' They have constructed a mock concrete wall where they have painted 'A69 won't be built' and set ablaze a faux globe. The 'squirrels' are striving to safeguard the remaining trees that the public works group NGE/Atosca has not yet demolished. NGE/ATOSCA is cutting down trees even though not all legal procedures have been resolved. 'La Voie est Libre' (meaning 'The Way is Free'), along with opponents and Thomas Brail, are demanding that the construction of the highway be halted until all judicial decisions have been made. The expropriation processes for farmers have not been finalized. Critics of the project argue that upgrading the N126 would be sufficient for the anticipated 6,000 vehicles per day and would be much less costly. The A69 highway is projected to cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros, excluding inflation) for a stretch of 54 kilometers, resulting in the destruction of over 100 protected species and 400 hectares of farmland.

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