French dam project sparks new clashes

Fresh clashes have broken out between angry protesters and riot police in southwestern France, following the death of a demonstrator in a similar rally.

Monday skirmishes occurred when a large number of activists held a rally to voice their opposition to the controversial Sivens dam project in the town of Albi, the capital of the Tarn region.

The protesters argue that only a handful of agri-businesses will benefit from the project.

A 21-year-old protester, identified as Remi Fraisse, lost his life early on Sunday during clashes between police and the protesters, with security forces firing tear gas and throwing grenades at them at the site of the construction project. Seven security forces also sustained injuries in the unrest.

“Remi, Remi, we won’t forget you,” chanted the protesters during the Monday rally.

A prosecutor, meanwhile, said the 21-year-old was injured by “an explosion.”

“The big wound on the top of Remi Fraisse’s back was caused, in all likelihood, by an explosion,” prosecutor Claude Derens said.

Further analyses could determine whether “a grenade, thrown from the area where police were entrenched” was “at the origin” of the blast, Derens said, referring to earlier media reports that a grenade might have hit the protester.

Demonstrators have been gathering at the site of the contested project since early last month when clearing work started there. The gatherings have ended in clashes with police in most of the cases.

MR/NT/SS