2023-08-11 20:17:52
The French Council of State has suspended this Friday the dissolution decreed by the Government against the environmental organization Levantamientos de la Tierra (SLT, for its acronym in French), alleging that it “infringes the freedom of association”.
The country’s highest administrative court has detailed that there are “serious doubts” about the classification of “provoking violent acts” against people and property that weighs on the organization, which was outlawed at the end of June.
“For the request for precautionary suspension to be granted, two conditions must be met: that the measure in question is characterized by an emergency situation and that there is a serious doubt about its legality,” he recalled in a statement.
A “victory”, provisional
From Levantamientos de la Tierra, he considers the suspension of the decree of the French government by the French Council of State as a “victory”. In addition, they celebrate their return to activity on social networks such as Twitter: “We reactivated our social networks during the process. Thus, we make use of our defense rights regarding messages related to the political and judicial challenge of the dissolution measure and the repressive measures related to it”.
“They led to attacks on property”
The French Council of State has also ensured that the “actions promoted” by the environmental organization, which “led to attacks on property” in the framework of “civil disobedience initiatives”, have been “scarce”.
“The reasons provided by the Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories to justify the legality of the decree of dissolution of Levantamientos de la Tierra are not sufficient. (…) After this provisional decision, the Council of State will later issue a final one”, has settled.
The Government considers that the organization, using the defense of the environment as a front, “incites the commission of sabotage and material destruction, also through violence.” Specifically, in his decree he cited “physical attacks against the forces of order”, with the still present memory of the Saint-Soline riots that left two protesters in a coma and which also led to criticism of police action.
Violent clashes occurred in March after a protest was called against the construction of dams in the area. In addition, the French Police arrested 14 people considered to be affiliated with SLT for their alleged involvement in an action against a cement company in December 2022.
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