Renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg participated in a prohibited anti-motorway protest where authorities had employed tear gas and made arrests the preceding day.
Thunberg joined a delegation of activists from France, Belgium, Sweden, and Spain near the southwestern city of Toulouse.
Expressing solidarity with those opposing the motorway project, Thunberg, donned in a Palestinian keffiyeh, stated, "Unfortunately, these kinds of projects are not unique to France but are happening all over the world and are a symptom of a global crisis," reported AFP.
French authorities had forbidden the gathering in Saix, where a new motorway is planned, citing "risks of serious harm to public order." Despite the ban, protest organisers, Cabanade, proceeded with the demonstration, leading to the use of tear gas and arrests by French police on Friday.
Although organisers anticipated a substantial turnout on Saturday, around a hundred participants showed up amid steady rain. Approximately 350 metres away, activists established a "zone to be defended" (ZAD in French) on private land, marked by camp toilets, signposts, and cabins.
On Saturday, tear gas was deployed by the police, but they did not enter the ZAD, which is situated on private land and does not violate any laws. Activists were reported using tennis rackets to return tear gas canisters.
The environmentalists have staged multiple protests in recent months along the planned route of the A69 motorway. Thunberg's presence has elevated the movement "against the A69 at the international and national level," according to protest organisers from No Macadam.
Despite opposition, the government remains committed to completing the A69 project, which aims to reduce travel time between Toulouse and Castres by 20 minutes and is expected to open in 2025.
The president of the local Tarn department, addressing Greta Thunberg, stated, "Dear Greta Thunberg, the A69 autoroute responds to a vital need for Tarn and its inhabitants."