In Sainte-Soline, France, clashes between protesters and law enforcement occurred on Saturday regarding a large water reservoir for farm irrigation, despite a ban on gatherings in the region. French police used tear gas to repel protesters who threw fireworks and other objects. At least three police vehicles were set on fire and two protesters were seriously injured, with one in critical condition due to a head injury, along with 16 police officers. As many as 6,000 protesters converged on the site of the planned reservoir, with an estimated 1,000 considered radicals. There were approximately 3,200 police present, including helicopters and squads riding quads, to control the demonstration, which was blamed on far-left groups. This protest follows weeks of demonstrations throughout France over a pension overhaul, and comes after the country’s worst drought on record last summer intensified the debate on water resources in the EU’s largest agricultural sector. Supporters of the reservoir project argue that artificial reservoirs are a way to use water efficiently when necessary, while critics regard them as excessively large and favoring larger farms.
Farm reservoir sparks clash with police.
