"The cardboard reads, 'The A69 is not for public interest but..."

#12534654

6 July 2025

The cardboard reads, 'The A69 is not for public interest but for the private interests'. Opponents of the planned A69 highway gather in Maurens-Scopont, Tarn department, France, for a weekend of protests called 'Turboteuf' at the domain of the Maurens-Scopont castle. After protesters try to break into the work site to reach a bridge, riot policemen and protesters scuffle. Riot police use volleys of tear gas canisters. The decision of the Administrative Court of Appeal of Toulouse greenlights the resumption of leveling works on the A69 highway. The Administrative Court of Toulouse decides on February 27 to suspend all works on the A69 project highway between Toulouse and Castres. NGE/Atosca files an appeal against this decision and asks the Court to let the works continue during the time the appeal is judged. Two senators and two MPs from the Tarn department propose a retroactive law to authorize the building of the A69. They say they want to bypass the decision of the Administrative Court of Toulouse. Atosca says all leveling works have begun and that more than 70% of highway structures are completed. However, the leveling works and highway structure are not close to the numbers given by Atosca. Moreover, several problems plague the work, such as water evacuation and protection of species. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') wants the building of the highway to be stopped until all the justice decisions on the content are given. All expropriations for farmers are not cleared. 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 will cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers. More than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural fields will be destroyed.

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#11166144

22 April 2024

A woman is holding a cardboard sign that reads 'You have the blood of future generations on your hands'. Several thousand people are demonstrating in the streets of Toulouse, France, against the controversial A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. Political parties, unions, and NGOs, including La Voie est Libre, GNSA, CGT, Sud, Greenpeace, XR, LFI, NPA, Amis de la Terre, and FSU, have called for this day of protest. Several MPs from La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) are participating in the protest, along with elected officials from towns along the planned A69 highway route. Before the march began, dozens of cyclists arrived from Castres on their bicycles. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (The Way is Free), along with other opponents, wants the construction of the highway to be halted until all judicial decisions have been made. Not all expropriations for farmers have been resolved. Opponents argue that reprofiling the N126 would be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles expected per day and would cost significantly less money. The A69 highway is projected to cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros, excluding inflation) for 54 kilometers, and its construction would destroy habitats for more than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural land. The protest is taking place in Toulouse, France, on April 21, 2024.

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#11166126

22 April 2024

A woman is holding a cardboard sign that reads 'Breach of rule of law'. Several thousand people are demonstrating in the streets of Toulouse, France, against the controversial A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. Political parties, unions, and NGOs, including La Voie est Libre, GNSA, CGT, Sud, Greenpeace, XR, LFI, NPA, Amis de la Terre, and FSU, have called for this day of protest. Several MPs from La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) are participating in the protest, along with elected officials from towns along the planned A69 highway route. Before the march began, dozens of cyclists arrived from Castres on their bicycles. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (The Way is Free) and other opponents are demanding that construction of the highway be halted until all judicial decisions regarding the project are made. Expropriations for farmers have not been resolved. Opponents argue that reprofiling the N126 would be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles expected per day and would cost far 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 more than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural land. The protest is taking place in Toulouse, France, on April 21, 2024.

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#11166156

22 April 2024

People are holding cardboard signs that read 'Stop the current slaughter, no to the A69' (right) and 'Elected member against the A69'. Several thousand people are demonstrating in the streets of Toulouse, France, against the controversial A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. Political parties, unions, and NGOs, including La Voie est Libre, GNSA, CGT, Sud, Greenpeace, XR, LFI, NPA, Amis de la Terre, and FSU, have called for this day of protest. Several MPs from La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) are participating in the protest, along with elected officials from towns along the planned A69 highway route. Before the march began, dozens of cyclists arrived from Castres on their bicycles. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free'), along with other opponents, wants the construction of the highway to be halted until all judicial decisions on the matter are made. Not all expropriations for farmers have 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 far less money. The A69 highway is projected to cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros, excluding inflation) for 54 kilometers, and its construction would destroy more than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural land. The protest is taking place in Toulouse, France, on April 21, 2024.

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#11166155

22 April 2024

People are holding cardboard signs that read 'Delga Stop to the damages' and 'ZAD everywhere', where ZAD stands for Zone To Defend. Several thousand people are demonstrating in the streets of Toulouse, France, on April 21, 2024, against the controversial A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. Political parties, unions, and NGOs, including La Voie est Libre, GNSA, CGT, Sud, Greenpeace, XR, LFI, NPA, Amis de la Terre, and FSU, have called for this day of protest. Several MPs from La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) are participating in the protest, along with elected officials from towns along the planned A69 highway route. Before the march began, dozens of cyclists arrived from Castres on their bicycles. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (The Way is Free) and other opponents are demanding that construction of the highway be halted until all judicial decisions regarding the project are finalized. Expropriations for farmers have not yet been resolved. Opponents argue that reprofiling the N126 would be sufficient for the anticipated 6,000 vehicles per day and would cost significantly 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 more than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural land.

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#10981053

11 February 2024

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is standing near a protester holding a cardboard sign that reads 'Stop A69' in the woods near Semalens in the Tarn Department, on the planned A69 highway route between Toulouse and Castres. Opponents of this project are organizing a weekend of protest, called the 'Cabanacade', with Greta Thunberg participating. The event is taking place near the ZAD, dubbed 'Crem'Arbre', which is a call to activists and sympathizers to build huts for 'Ecureuils' (squirrels) who live in the trees to prevent them from being cut down. Thunberg is expressing her concern, stating that maintaining such a project is insane as it will compromise the quality of life of the inhabitants and destroy nature and agricultural fields. Riot police, known as 'Gendarmerie Mobile', are intervening several times to block the railway between Toulouse and Castres and are using tear gas canisters to intimidate the protesters, as the protest is occurring on private lands. The main collective 'La Voie est Libre' (The Way is Free) is demanding that the construction of the highway be halted until all judicial decisions have been made. The expropriations for farmers have not been resolved. Opponents argue that reprofiling the N126 would be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles expected per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway is projected to cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros, not accounting for inflation) for 54 kilometers, and its construction would result in the destruction of more than 100 protected species and 400 hectares of agricultural fields. This is taking place in Saix, Tarn, France, on February 10, 2024.

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