The Niort criminal court has been placed under close surveillance since Friday morning. Nine anti-basin activists are in fact on trial for violence committed on March 25, notably during the Sainte-Soline demonstration. A large gathering is underway at Place de la Brêche in Niort.
Nine anti-basin activists are on trial from 1:30 p.m. this Friday before the Niort criminal court. Justice accuses them of acts of violence during gatherings anti-basins of October 2022 and March 2023 in Sainte-Soline and participation in a group formed with a view to preparing violence against people or damage to property. This last qualification concerns two defendants in particular, Julien Le Guet, spokesperson for the Bassines Non, Merci collective! and Basile Dutertre (real name Loan Monga) one of the spokespersons for the Earth Uprisings. These two collectives were co-organizers of the gatherings in Sainte-Soline.
3:30 p.m.
A new suspension of the session interrupts the hearing, the lawyers of the defendants are in fact questioning the fact of having prosecuted spokespersons and not civilians. Why Julien Le Guet and not Bassines, no thank you! Why Basile Dutertre (real name Joan Monga) and not the Earth Uprisings?
15 hours
The hearing promises to be long according to the defendants’ lawyers, Julien Le Guet’s lawyer, Maître Marie Dosé deplores the number of defendants gathered in a single hearing and the debates which promise to be interminable ” it is the choice of the prosecution to have brought everyone together at the same hearing, we will have to discuss numerous offenses until very late. Which act is the choice of the floor. But we will not be able to invoke an element from one folder in another folder. We don’t have to put up with the fact that the hearing decided to cram all these proceedings into one afternoon.” In a humorous tone, the lawyer of the CGT union leader David Bodin also deplores the very long debates “I risk missing the start of the match with all these files while my client is only being prosecuted for a single offense…”
More seriously, the defendants’ lawyers are irritated by a lack of clarity of the alleged facts.a defendant must know what he is accused of. The only thing we know is that the events took place on October 29, 2022. It is not up to me to look for the evidence!” protests the advice of David Bodin, CGT delegate
For his part, Sébastien Rey, the lawyer for Coop de l’eau, civil party in this case, does not see things that way: “we are having the wrong debate, the summons are quite precise. Knowing whether the file is sufficiently substantiated or not is a fundamental debate that must be held here.”
14 h 00 : the hearing has just opened at the Niort court.
The Niort court this September 8 while the trial of 9 anti-basin activists is taking place. • © Cyril Paquier, France Télévisions
The neighborhood is cordoned off by a security system, while there are numerous supporters of the defendants in front of the courthouse. The general secretary of the CGT Sophie Binet in particular is present on site.
In front of the Niort courthouse this Friday, September 8. • © Cyril Paquier, France Télévisions
The general secretary of the CGT Sophie Binet in the crowd supporting the defendants, this Friday September 8 in Niort. • © Cyril Paquier, France Télévisions
In the courtroom, the defendants took their seats. The president is in the process of recalling the facts with which each of them is accused.
The president of the water cooperative Thierry Boudaud, victim and civil party, is also present. “Far too often in these demonstrations, there was more than excesses, damage to our property, and violent psychological pressure on us and our families. he explained before the hearing. “We would like to remember that our agricultural model is above all family. Every time we touch our farms, we touch our families.”
In the courtroom, the defendants, including the spokesperson for Bassines, no thanks! Julien Leguet. • © Cyril Paquier, France Télévisions
Thierry Boudaud, the president of the water coop this Friday, September 8 at the Niort courthouse. • © Cyril Paquier, France Télévisions
11 h 00 :
On the Place de la Brêche, many demonstrators are installed to show their support for the defendants and their fight.
Demonstration of support for activists during their trial in Niort. • © Cyril Paquier – France Télévisions
Banners supporting the fight against water grabbing • © Cyril Paquier, France Télévisions
Several hundred demonstrators at Place de la Brêche in Niort • © Cyril Paquier, France Télévisions
The general secretary of the CGT, Sophie Binet, also came to show her support for the accused, one of whom, David Bodin, is a union activist.
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