Red Bird #3 | What we learned in France

Last March 2023, French environmentalists with Soulevements de la Terre (LST) (Uprisings of the Earth) mobilised an estimated 25,000 in opposition to ‘mega-basins’ – large reservoirs which reserve water for mega agri-businesses at the cost of local water sources, ecosystems, and small farmers. 

The response from the French state was rapid and clear. Thousands of militarised officers attacked the protesters – using batons, tear gas, and concussion grenades – putting an activist in a coma. 

The French state then tried to ban LST. This was met with widespread protest across many elements of French left and liberals, and ultimately failed. 

The scale of this movement meant that some of us from Britain decided to travel over to 2024’s mass mobilisation ‘for water’ in West France. There were several days of workshop, then mass actions.

Whilst there, we tried to understand how LST has operated and what lessons there might be for us in Britain. We tried to condense them into five main takeaways. 

(ONE) Disruptive action is possible – Where Extinction Rebellion were united behind a conception of ‘non-violent direct action’, LST is united by principles of ‘démantèlement et désarmement’ (dismantling and disarming). 

Books like How to Blow up a Pipeline sparked to an increased discussion of sabotage action damaging property in defence of ecology.

LST reframe this with the ideas of dismantling and disarming.

Everywhere people are, there are projects poisoning the earth and people – the harm is already being done – stop it by disarming it.That might be a blockade, that might be damaging the machinery, it might be mass action by workers. 

In this way, rather than a demand to sabotage which falls on bemused ears, LST have reframed more disruptive action to be an act of collective ‘self-defence’ – making it far more comprehensible for the newly politicised. The result has been damage to mega-reservoirs (from both destruction of pipes to the release of invasive plant species to block the pipes) as well as the traditional fare of actions. 

(TWO) Broad coalitions are possible – It would be easy to just obsess over the kinds of property damage which LST groups have engaged in. But what we found more interesting was that LST could mobilise a broad coalition in defence of it following last year’s repression. 

At the camp and participating in the actions, we saw representatives from the various groups within the New Popular Front (the electoral coalition of liberal to left organisations), anarchist collectives, trade unions, farmers unions, traditional XR groups and NGOs. 

All these groups not only appeared at the camp, but mobilised against the dissolution of LST and in support of local actions. They can do so because they do not have to dissolve as organisations to consider themselves part of LST.

Instead clear ways to support are given (mobilise workers, defend us in Parliament, and so on), and they can engage as discrete political units. 

Political differences and the need to discuss them are taken as given, but they are not seen as barriers to engaging in various ways to support the movement itself. This allows LST to build a broader class base than the cadre of those willing to take forms of direct action. 

(THREE) The disruptive action versus mass politics distinction is not useful – In Britain, many environmental and left conversations end up splitting between two ‘approaches’. One, we must ‘get rooted’ and broaden the base of support for ecological politics. Two, we must ‘escalate our actions’, increasing disruption and leverage. 

What LST showed is it is possible to do both.

It is possible for activists who are willing to engage in ‘disarming’ direct action against ecological destruction. It is also possible for them to do so as part of a march of tens of thousands, which includes trade unions, green groups, and political collectives. By providing a space for others to engage, identify with the movement, but retain their distinct political identities, a broader coalition has been created. 

The risks for the British environmental movement of retreating into local ‘base-building’ to broaden their base or increasingly minoritarian direct action are very real – to hold onto the possibility of a mass politics which combines both like that of LST is important. 

(FOUR) Differences in policing produce different movements

The repression of British activists – targeted arrests, dawn raids, and long custodial sentences – has increased recently. In France, we saw a different kind of policing – one focused less on arrest, and instead indiscriminate violence and crowd control – use of riot gear, tear gas, and ultimately concussion grenades. 

Whereas in Britain we put significant focus on avoiding organisers being identified, keeping locations secret, and arrestee support, in France they have to focus on medical attention, barricades/shielding, and crowd movement formations. 

Learning these different practices will be useful for not just organising generally, but especially if police strategies shift or combine in either country. 

(FIVE) Local action can mobilise, but for how long? 

LST is built on its wide network of supporters, as well as local LST groups which are engaged in long-run ‘disarming’ campaigns against land and water grabbing, projects like roads, and more. 

In this way, it builds engaged local groups, who then feed into the national movements – through assemblies of the groups. Each local group may call for a large national mobilisation, and the other local groups attempt to participate. 

However, its focus on ‘water’ or ‘land’ is less a clear political strategy, and more the ‘tail wagging the dog’ – the nature of ecological needs of local groups has determined the national character of the movement. When some groups demand focus on fossil extraction projects and others want to continue to focus on mega-basins or roads, political challenges will emerge.

If a breakdown in communication and reciprocity between local groups occurs, it is my view that LST will face a major dilemma.

How to articulate a mass ecological politics against the French state without retreating into focusing on just local projects? 

Overall, we learned lots from our trip to France – movements in neighbouring countries should be studied more to inform our activity in Britain. 

Ginger – Red Bird Editorial Collective 

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