Eight arrested as climate activists break into chemicals plant in France

3/3/2024 7:13

        Several hundred protesters
        briefly broke into a plant owned by chemicals group Arkema near
        Lyon in southeastern France on Saturday to protest against
        alleged pollution from the site and eight people were arrested,
        local authorities said on Saturday.
        
        "An action was carried out by radical activists against the
        Arkema company in Pierre Benite in early afternoon ... Police
        quickly intervened to prevent damage and eight individuals have
        already been arrested," a government official for the
        Auvergne-Rhone region wrote on X.
        
        Video footage from climate movement Extinction Rebellion on
        X and from BFM TV showed activists clad in white breaking into
        the site, writing "murderers" in red paint on the walls and
        breaking doors and materials to draw attention to the discharge
        of PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) that are not
        bio-degradable.
        
        In a statement condemning the action, Arkema said its teams
        were now inspecting the site to make sure it was safe as well as
        assessing damage.