TotalEnergies was once again the target of a demonstration in La Défense. About fifteen activists from Friends of the Earth France, Alternatiba Paris and Action Non-Violente COP21 burst into the TotalEnergies tower at La Défense on Monday morning around 9 a.m. to denounce the decision of the French multinational to maintain its activities in Russia.
The activists notably daubed the hall of the French multinational in black and waved their hands painted red. Several placards and banners bearing the message “Your oil and gas – their blood” were held up.
“It is fossil fuels that arm Vladimir Putin’s regime and take new lives every day at the gates of Europe. Not only do we know this, but almost all the oil and gas majors took note of it by announcing their withdrawal from Russia in the first days of the military invasion. [1]. Patrick Pouyanné, on the contrary, persists in demonstrating criminal firmness by clinging to his Russian assets and his business with oligarchs close to the Kremlin. This position is shameful: Total, a profiteer of climate chaos, today stands out as a war profiteer,” said Marie Cohuet, spokesperson for Alternatiba Paris and Action Non-Violente COP21, in a press release.
🔴ACTION | Your oil and gas, their blood ✊@TotalEnergies targeted for toxic links to Putin’s regime 💥
Activists from @amisdelaterrefr @AnvCop21 @alternatiba75 repaint the interior of the Total headquarters in black
#TotalFaitduSale #StopTotal pic.twitter.com/YoTBHFWcmb— Friends of the Earth FR (@amisdelaterre) March 21, 2022
With this surprise action, the activists intended to point the finger at “the complicity of the French government”, and demand that Emmanuel Macron apply “without exception” European sanctions in order to force TotalEnergies to withdraw from Russia.
While several oil groups such as BP and Shell have decided to withdraw from Russia during this war launched by the Kremlin, the giant TotalEnergies has chosen to stay in Russia by maintaining its activities, but stopping its new investments under pressure.
“The French government has so far cowardly hidden behind Total’s incomplete commitment not to make new investments in Russia so as not to lift a finger. But the European sanctions published last week are a game-changer and could deal a severe blow to the multinational. Respecting them would mean that as long as Total remained in Russia, it could no longer count on the precious financial support of its bankers. Emmanuel Macron must choose today: to oppose deliberately that these sanctions apply to Total and to display in broad daylight his complacency with the toxic activities of the oil-gas group; or stop the hypocrisy here and finally force Total to withdraw,” added Lorette Philippot, campaign manager at Friends of the Earth France.
🔴 SHARE | Your oil, our blood
This morning we are in front of the headquarters of @TotalEnergies with @amisdelaterrefr @AnvCop21 to denounce its links with the Putin regime! #TotalFaitduSaleprofiteering from climate chaos and the war in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/6X3CRDRBmX– Alternative Paris (@ alternatiba75) March 21, 2022
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