Grenoble residents have been protesting against the destruction of their local park. The trees in the park were planted in honor of local people when they died so there was obviously a lot of resentment when they found out their park was to made into a car park for a gigantic football stadium! Treehouses were set up in November last year and expanded over the next months. They made a fine sight!

On 24th of January 2004, the ecocitizens and the group SOS Parc Paul Mistral organised a mass demonstration. Between 2000 and 4000 people were here to save the trees of the Park. The demontraters demanded a referendum over the trees. A petition of over 15,000 signatures was handed in to the cityhall.

Recently thousands turned out to resist the eviction. This was met by extreme violence from the french police. Water cannons and tear gas were used and around 100 people were hospitalised. There has been widespread outcry against the brutality.

Next week two local people from the Sherwood Tree Camp will be visiting Grenoble.

Feature on Indymedia Paris:
 http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=15849

Recent Reports (french):
 http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=16743
 http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=15933

Pictures of camp / demonstration / eviction:
 http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=15525
 http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=12882
 http://perso.wanadoo.fr/arbresvenerables/ACTUALITES/ParcMistral/ParcMistral.htm
 http://perso.wanadoo.fr/arbresvenerables/Ecocitoyens/index.htm
 http://paris.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=15977
 http://www.ades-grenoble.org/article.php3?id_article=346
 http://www.ades-grenoble.org/Violences110204/
 http://www.ades-grenoble.org/Assaut120204/
 http://www.ades-grenoble.org/ParcMistral100204/

btw - in France, echoing the uk "eco-warrrior" label, the media have branded the protesters "accrobranchists"!