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dinsdag 28 april 2026
WORLD WORLDWIDE INFORMATION - ACTIVISM - A-infos-index24 - Latest Headlines - 40 posts - News in all languages. Tuesday 28 April 2026.
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WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE ITALY - news journal UPDATE - (en) Italy, FAI, Umanita Nova #10-26 - Between the landslide and the MUOS: liberate the territories! Niscemi, two months later and another war (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
In Niscemi, "the risk for the landslide as a whole remains high, and the phenomenon is expected to evolve further": this is the overall picture painted by site inspections and satellite data. The landslide, particularly its main slope bordering the town, is susceptible to further evolution. Comparing the 1997 landslide and the 1790 event, further evolution is possible, with the edge of the slope retreating by several dozen meters, especially in the event of further significant rainfall. This evolution could affect other buildings and further permanently compromise strategic road access.
The phenomenon that began last January is part of a long-term stability characterized by exceptionally large movements. In 1997, a deep landslide reactivated, directly preceding the landslide of January 26th. The events of January 2026 caused a landslide nearly five kilometers long along the edge of the town, with a volume of 80 million cubic meters of material. This was an exceptional landslide, which in its acute phase caused a slide that lasted an entire day, at a speed of one meter per hour.
The erosive processes at the base of the Niscemi hill, caused by water flowing from the town into the stream below, played a key role, combined with the contrast between the sand and clay.
The sewer system and aqueduct must be rapidly reorganized, wells drilled to extract water from the underground aquifers, drainage tunnels constructed, the torrential water networks upgraded, and naturalistic engineering interventions carried out. This is the minimum necessary to contain and stabilize the landslide and secure the slope.
Currently, no action is being taken in this direction, and no safety has been provided to the hundreds of Niscemi residents forced to abandon their homes, nor to the dozens of businesses forced to close. The plight of farmers whose agricultural fields were devastated by the landslide remains dire, resulting in the loss of both their seasonal harvest and their farms.
More than two months after the landslide began, the landslide has yet to stop, and while the consequences of the disaster are being mourned with open and bleeding wounds, Niscemi suddenly finds itself a sensitive military target due to the criminal attack by the United States and Israel on Iran.
To the southeast, a few kilometers from the town of Niscemi, lies not just a forest, but a true natural monument: the Sughereta Nature Reserve. It is the last great remnant of the ancient and majestic cork oak (Quercus suber) forests that once blanketed central and southern Sicily. Its extraordinary value is recognized at the European level as a Site of Community Interest. Eight kilometers away from the landslide, within the Sughereta di Niscemi Nature Reserve, the US MUOS base was built. Now, MUOS is also at risk of collapse. The landslide affecting MUOS is unrelated to the one affecting the town of Niscemi, although geologically similar. The collapse of MUOS would be good news. Were it not for the fact that even the slightest change in the trajectory of those dishes would pose a serious threat to human and non-human safety. If, hypothetically, the dishes were to suddenly lose stability and the electromagnetic beam, usually directed at satellites, were to fall onto the town or the adjacent Sughereta Nature Reserve, it is unclear what damage to health it would cause.
For at least three years, landslides have been affecting the North American MUOS satellite dishes, which provide communications to all US armed forces around the world (including those deployed in Iran). The Americans themselves have submitted extensive documentation to the Sicilian Region describing the presence of landslides around the MUOS base, outlining the causes and possible solutions to implement the necessary consolidation measures in the area. The documents provided by the Americans describe how the situation is already serious, both in the area of the three MUOS satellite dishes on the southern slope of the base and in the area where the other pre-existing antennas are located. The report highlights that "in the antenna area, one of the concrete plinths collapsed along with the ground, resulting in a loss of functionality and, partially, the conditions that ensure the stability of the antenna and safety in the area." For the MUOS apron, "landslides were detected in the soil beneath the apron, resulting in the displacement and loss of functionality of several curbs supporting the internal fence of the area." One of the causes is "accelerated erosion caused by the action of wild rainwater, which favors the formation of localized landslides and the consequent retreat of the ends. These landslides cause dangerous undermining at the foot of the slope, resulting in the formation of cliffs corresponding to the sandy-calcareous outcrops."
For these reasons, the United States government requested support from the Italian Ministry of Defense, which in turn contacted ISPRA. The Sigonella Public Works Department, which oversees the Niscemi base, submitted the request for an Environmental Impact Assessment to the Region on April 23, 2025. In July, the Technical Scientific Commission was consulted, which within two months acquired all the necessary authorizations and issued a favorable opinion. On September 15, Councilor for Territory Giusi Savarino declared the process closed favorably.
So, for the consolidation of a foreign military base, the bureaucratic and administrative machinery moved very quickly and within a few months approved the safeguard measures. The situation is quite different for the safety of civil engineering works and the homes of residents, which have not seen any intervention in almost thirty years.
Will the Civil Protection and the Sicilian Region now focus on people's safety, or will priority be given to the consolidation of the North American war base?
The radical incompatibility between the geological and hydrogeological fragility of the territory, the environmental value of the area, and the presence of a military infrastructure the size of the MUOS is evident.
The presence of the MUOS in Niscemi, at a time of acute war crisis between the US and Iran, further increases the dangers for the population. Communications supporting US wars pass through this area daily.
Niscemi, like any territory hosting strategic military infrastructure, automatically becomes a potential target in conflict.
The Sicilian territory is marked by Italian, NATO, and US military bases: Trapani-Birgi air base and future training site for the F-35, Pantelleria (Trapani) air base, Augusta (Sicily) and Messina naval bases, Sigonella (Catania) naval air base, and Niscemi MUOS.
Since February 28, Triton spy drones have been taking flight over the Sicilian skies. These warplanes, like the P8 Poseidon, have taken off from Sigonella to the Persian Gulf. Tritons are spy drones designed to identify targets and send real-time signals to other aircraft to coordinate attacks and precision bombing. The P8 Poseidon is an armed aircraft carrying anti-ship missiles and torpedoes. All of this is in clear violation of the Italy-US treaties. Modern technological warfare involves the MUOS (National Air and Space Observatory) in Niscemi, which remotely coordinates the bombing of Iran from military platforms even far from Italy. US bases on Sicilian soil are currently directly involved in the war with Iran.
On Saturday, March 14th and Sunday, March 15th, there were anti-militarist demonstrations against the use of the Birgi and Sigonella bases. On Saturday, March 28, a large demonstration in Niscemi called for the closure of the US MUOS base and the implementation of necessary interventions against the landslide that struck the town.
The March 28 demonstration in Niscemi is not just about one city or one military base. It concerns a much broader issue: the return of territories to popular sovereignty and the liberation of these places from permanent militarization. Niscemi, Sigonella, Sicily, and Italy cannot be platforms for war in the Mediterranean.
Our territories must be returned to the communities that inhabit them and must not be transformed into operational hubs of conflict between imperialist states. Economic resources must be spent on securing the territory and supporting the population affected by the environmental disaster.
Renato Franzitta
https://umanitanova.org/tra-frana-e-muos-liberare-i-territori-niscemi-dopo-due-mesi-e-dopo-unaltra-guerra/
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Link: (en) Italy, FAI, Umanita Nova #10-26 - Between the landslide and the MUOS: liberate the territories! Niscemi, two months later and another war (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE UK uk United Kingdom - (en) UK, AFed, Organaise - The future of political freedom in America is on trial in North Texas (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
The following is a piece from prairielanddefendants.com. It gives a solid run down of the case which has not been getting half as much press as it should. It have been something of a rollercoaster and it's impact may very well be felt throughout the US and subsequently streets and courtrooms around the world. ---- You can find much more information, start to end on the above website and we highly reccomend taking the time. Support the Prairieland Defendants.
On July 4th, around a dozen people gathered to make a display of noise and fireworks to express solidarity with immigrants and ICE detainees who face threat of deportation under Trump's sweeping anti-immigration crackdown. The state's narrative about what happened that night is dubious and full of inconsistencies. After the demonstration, police claim that two people exchanged gunfire with correctional officers and one Alvarado patrol officer on a nearby street. Subsequently, police arrested everyone in the area and the state and feds have charged these 10 people with terrorism and attempted murder, respectively.Two days later, an 11th person was arrested after receiving a phone call from a loved one in the jail. He was arrested by FBI in Denton, Texas with a box of zines in their car. FBI have turned him over to ICE in order to jeopardize his green card status. Ongoing raids of several other homes across Texas have created hardship for defendants' friends and families: agents deployed flashbang grenades, caused extensive damage, and detained spouses, family members and housemates without cause. In one instance, federal agents tackled the adult child of a defendant and put a bag over their head before arresting them and transporting them to jail. "I was terrified, I had no idea what was going on," the child later said. During this interrogation, agents offered this person monetary bribes in exchange for information, which of course were refused. Police also attempted to extort them by offering to "get rid of a warrant" if they cooperated with the law enforcement investigation.
This is a protest case, not a terrorist conspiracy
What happened July 4th was a normal protest, and regardless of what transpired that night, it's clear that the scale and aggression of the police response is a fear tactic to send a message not only to DFW but across the country of how this administration will treat anyone standing against their rising authoritarianism.
At this point, 19 people in total have been arrested. This includes partners and roommates who likely never set foot in Alvarado. Local legal experts explained that normally in this district, a defendant facing federal charges will receive a first court appearance within one to three days, whereupon appointment of court-appointed counsel, release or bail conditions, and next court dates are all addressed. There has been no explanation why these normal practices are not being followed regarding these defendants. Meanwhile, the legal proceedings have not progressed on either the state or federal charges, leaving the arrestees in ongoing detainment and deprivation of their constitutionally guaranteed legal representation.
Everyday, Texans face increasing repression by both the federal and state governments. Those on the front lines especially are being met with this repression despite our constitutional right to protest and dissent. Instead of listening to us, the government is arresting protestors, creating false narratives about their actions, and wholly ignoring their own obligation to due process.
Acknowledging this, we have formed a committee of loved ones, friends and comrades of defendants who are committed to supporting them through the legal process and have experience with legal support and anti-repression organizing.
19 of our loved ones still sit in jail, many of them struggling to obtain legal counsel because the public defender assignment process has been obstructed by a seemingly deliberate and targeted array of red tape and outright denial. The framing of the case by the federal government should worry all of us. The glaring inconsistencies in the official narrative and the alarmist accusations are a clear attempt to bolster the Trump administration's claims that the United States is on the verge of chaos, and to excuse a dramatic increase in militarized police action. This, in turn, will almost certainly be used to justify sweeping expansion of repression not only of popular movements but all political activity in opposition to Trump and his regime. As such, what is happening to these 17 people should be a concern for anyone who does not want to see this country descend further into authoritarianism.
The Trump administration has a consistent record of brazenly lying and distorting facts to advance its political narratives. In particular, they actively stoke the flames of far-right conspiracy theories that fed Trump's rise to power. Time and again these narratives have been proven false and dangerous.
These 19 people are some of the first arrested under this unbelievable narrative, but we should expect this sort of repression to spread further and wider. Trump does not distinguish between these defendants, Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialists of America, 50501, or anyone else standing against him. They are coming for undocumented migrants, they are coming for supporters of Palestine, they are coming for anyone who objects to ICE's violence.
Anyone standing up against ICE deserves our support
The first months of this administration have been a disaster. People have been kidnapped in broad daylight by masked agents and sent to hellish prison camps in other countries, with detention centers like Prarieland as stopping points along the way. Natural disasters have killed hundreds with little warning or care from the government - even now we're still trying to count the losses from flooding in Central Texas. Decades of advancement in public health have been eviscerated: measles killed more children in Texas in the last month than in the last 30 years. Transgender people are being erased from our society. US-made bombs are slaughtering millions around the world. Black and Indigenous histories are being scrubbed from official state narratives in an attempt to cage the public's imagination, shackle the people, and steal the future. The list goes on. People see the nightmare that is unfolding, and the state is furiously looking for ways to distract, confuse, immobilize, and terrify. In this context, it should be clear that these recent criminal charges in Alvarado, Texas, are a dangerous and unconscionable stunt in service of this goal.
We are all affected by these disasters already, but criminalization of protest means that we risk arrest and worse as the state moves to crush everyone under its power.
However, the people of this country will not accept authoritarian rule. From the initial waves of protest, resistance and antagonism have generalized and deepened. It has involved not only elected officials and formal organizations, but more importantly, millions of ordinary people taking bold action to protect their communities and reclaim their autonomy. This spreading resistance has been met with violent state repression such as deployment of active duty military on the streets of Los Angeles and the arrest of sitting judges and US senators. Now the state is attempting to ruin the lives of 17 people and their communities in North Texas. It is clear that this systematic demolition of our freedoms cannot be stopped by appeasement and capitulation. Those who face this state terror deserve our support, not silence.
We in the DFW Support Committee have no choice but to push forward and fight for those we care deeply about who are currently sitting in jail. To the rest of you, we call on you to join us in our support. We will be releasing future updates and statements about concrete actions people can take. The first and most important action today is raising funds so that these 17 people have the best legal defense possible.
https://organisemagazine.org.uk/2026/03/11/the-future-of-political-freedom-in-america-is-on-trial-in-north-texas/
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Link: (en) UK, AFed, Organaise - The future of political freedom in America is on trial in North Texas (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE SPAIN - news journal UPDATE - (en) Spain, Regeneracion: Deconstructing Frustration - Activism requires personal and collective construction. This construction is a process, always unfinished. By EMBAT (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Index | Defeating Defeatism | Calm | Regaining Enthusiasm | Limits | Self-Care | Conclusion ---- We must not only acquire new skills, both technical and relational, but we also have to know how to manage the emotions involved in developing activism. One of these emotions is frustration. ---- When frustration appears, it can do so silently, timidly, or abruptly, but in all its forms we should know how to understand it, embrace it, and ultimately, understand its limits and reasons. We must have the clarity to discern whether it is reinforced by activism or stems from our personal situations/moments. Dissecting which part is collective and, therefore, social to be overcome, and which part we have to manage personally is not a simple matter. Of course, there is no isolated self, but everything has its limits. All this, this task carried out without projecting that frustration, spitting it out towards the other colleagues with whom we share spaces.
Undoubtedly, together we are stronger, we endure, and we grow. But we can also be placing a heavy burden of responsibility on the collective space that belongs to us, due to personal incapacity, immaturity, or even as an unconscious control mechanism. This can drag others into an atmosphere of negativity, of "taking care" at best, and of collective paralysis at worst.
When we fill meetings with words of overwhelm, frustration, and so on, we can achieve several results: others may begin to doubt whether they are doing enough because they aren't feeling that way, they don't perceive it that way, and they are afraid to question those who do. Or perhaps guilt is directly triggered (very prevalent in societies with a Judeo-Christian culture). Should I be just as overwhelmed/frustrated? If I'm not, and I'm working patiently, does that mean I'm not doing enough? It's clear how dangerous it is to follow that line of thought, isn't it?
Mistaking collective space for a kind of pseudo-therapeutic space can lead to many misunderstandings. It can cause the space we inhabit to prioritize relationships and, therefore, invisible hierarchies based on who can accumulate "social capital," who knows how to cultivate these relationships and promote their status within the group, and so on. While this undoubtedly has its weight and intrinsic value, it shouldn't be the group's main focus if the established objectives are different. The organization and achievement of collective goals can become secondary. Perhaps not explicitly stated, but that's how reality is perceived.
Of course, it's not about living as if there were no problems or areas for improvement. The point is that by collectively sharing our stress and frustration, we can drag others down with us. But we can also overcome it collectively. How we communicate and manage it, both individually and collectively, is crucial and carries weight that we cannot underestimate or ignore.
Learning to manage certain situations means learning to accept their magnitude and limitations. It also means accepting mistakes and errors, and accurately assessing their boundaries. It means taking risks on something that doesn't turn out as expected and accepting it in order to learn and know how to let go. If your proposal isn't approved, put its importance into perspective and don't get bogged down in every detail, every comma, every step. Start by acknowledging that perhaps it won't carry much weight in the medium and long term; that it won't be the deciding factor, trusting that perhaps others are right and we're wrong. And move forward.
Defeating defeatism
The culture of defeat, not just the "no future" mentality, has swept us away and has been readily embraced by the dominant cultural and economic system. It can permeate us to such an extent that it can even be mistaken for a false illusion of "doing something," despite lacking any strategy, as something opposed to defeatism. But it can become a chimera that ultimately explodes into a thousand different forms of defeatism, which will eventually lead us to a standstill of frustration. And from there, it's difficult to escape.
The calm
In a dictatorship of immediacy, perhaps we must reclaim calm and tranquility. This is part of resisting the dominant culture; it's essential when making decisions, questioning, and responding. And this shouldn't be confused with paralyzing everything or stifling the efficiency expected of a collective and revolutionary response. Life doesn't stop. We never cease to be something like "multitaskers" (whether we like it or not). Even though it's such a fashionable term in some productivist circles, we never stop being sisters, friends, mothers, daughters; we work/study or are part of various collective spaces. We assign ourselves and others assign us tasks in these multifaceted roles.
Speed and urgency can be imposed by circumstances, colleagues, or self-imposed. But conveying what we consider extremely urgent without pausing to consider whether we are passing on our own stress (which we haven't been able to manage) can only be an attack on the very foundation of collective serenity.
These rhythms of unhealthy "productivity" cannot be transferred to spaces of militancy.
Of course, sometimes there are urgent matters, but when " everything " is urgent, it becomes pointless and inefficient, and I would even say it ends up being unhealthy and leading, once again, to frustration. It's a sign that something is wrong. And we must be clear that responsibility and commitment to the revolution are forever. And rushing can make us stumble over every stone.
Regaining hope
We must rediscover our enthusiasm without falling into the trap of thinking "everything will be alright." We can accept frustration and moderate our self-imposed demands. We must learn to recognize our limitations, both personal and collective, as well as those imposed by circumstances; without letting that become an easy excuse, a pretext for shirking responsibility, or a shield to justify our broken promises and lack of concern for the community.
But above all else we must feel a certain enthusiasm, recognizing and valuing the path we have traveled.
Is it difficult to feel enthusiastic on a path filled with meetings, in a dense training program, while learning or having a debate/meeting? Yes, perhaps. Or we can consider how we experience it, or how we build it for ourselves. Making that path more pleasant and enjoyable, without projecting all those frustrations. Without living in constant group conflict. But deep down, it's also strange to always be stressed, worried, with a frown on our faces. Building all those moments, those steps, and imbuing them with a certain enthusiasm (once we accept that things won't go as planned, acknowledging that there may be some minor frustrations along the way) has a certain liberating quality.
The limits
It's essential to understand the depth of this interplay of light and shadow. Accepting the shadows, the frustration, the denial, and so on, must serve to highlight the light, the hope, and the energy to move forward. If this isn't the case, we urgently need to rethink our path.
The spaces in which we are active should have clear limits.
To make it simple, even if it means simplifying, here are some examples:
Is it a space created around a campaign? It has its limits and specific objectives; there's no point in extending them beyond that. It can have a beginning and an end, a closure (although it may later be reconfigured in other spaces).
Is this a political/trade union organization? We have to accept that it's a long road and that the levels of involvement, preparation, etc., will fluctuate (it will fluctuate, and knowing how to adapt to each moment is a primary task).
And just as in the collective, in the individual, the rhythms are different. Our lives are different. Whether we're 20 or 60, recognizing these diverse needs and paces (in others and in ourselves) is essential. Not as a desire we want to achieve, but as a material reality that must be incorporated into our analyses to refine our intervention, take care of ourselves, and be effective.
Just like campaigns, organizations, and relationships, hope must also be built and nurtured. As revolutionaries, we must have the hope and the certainty that what we do has great potential. That we can recognize both the advances and the setbacks, knowing how to measure the overall impact of both.
The care
When we talk about limits, we must also talk about care, understood with a perverse "what about me?" approach (never expressed that way, of course). Care is either approached from a collective perspective, that is, with the common good in mind, or it becomes just another outlet for the base individual passions to which neoliberalism always leads us. And this has been used both for that purpose and to play the victim and manipulate the collective through blackmail and the use of "pain" as a disabling factor for mature and honest political debate. This hijacks the entire healthy process of dispute, trapping it in the intricacies of "forms," which are often hierarchically structured, with some able to lose them and others not, hiding behind that "pain." As a warning, perhaps, when we hear too many "but I...", alarm bells should ring. Care, yes, but with the collective space at the center, survival, and always "we" before "I."
Conclusion
To be able to imagine another world in the near future, without being overwhelmed by the complexity of everything around us. Because history proves it. There are changes, there have been changes, and there will be more.
To be protagonists, as a revolutionary society under construction, depends on reinforcing and building that hope, and overcoming defeat and frustration. Ultimately, it means moving forward and building from where we stand.
Although frustration will always be present, it's essential to consider deconstructing it along our path. Because our lives and our struggles depend on it. And one without the other is meaningless.
Ignoring these issues, along with training and more theoretical debates, leads us, we believe, to repeat habits without critically examining them. And at the same time, it demonstrates that we have the privilege of entrenching ourselves on certain topics, barely building anything, because first we need to have "x" element perfect. And with what we have before us, we cannot afford this. Too many lives, present and future, are at stake.
O. Neto
https://regeneracionlibertaria.org/2026/03/24/deconstruyendo-la-frustracion/
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Link: (en) Spain, Regeneracion: Deconstructing Frustration - Activism requires personal and collective construction. This construction is a process, always unfinished. By EMBAT (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE SOUTH AMERICA ARGENTINA - (en) Argentina, Rosario, FAR: THE DICTATORSHIP'S COUNTRY PROJECT IS REALIZED UNDER MILEI'S GOVERNMENT (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Fifty years after the last coup d'état, memory is not an act of nostalgia but of struggle. The dictatorship imposed, through bloodshed and violence, a country project at the service of the powerful, persecuting, torturing, and disappearing thousands of comrades who fought to fundamentally transform society. Today, as that project is being realized in new forms under Milei's ultraliberal government, remembering the 30,000 is to commit ourselves to continue organizing and fighting. Because the best tribute to those who gave their lives for the cause of the downtrodden is to continue their struggle, for a world without exploiters or the oppressed!
* Detained-Disappeared Anarchist Comrades, Present!
* 30,000 Detained-Disappeared Comrades, Present!
* * They fought for social revolution!
- OAC - Anarchist Organization of Córdoba
- FAR - Anarchist Federation of Rosario
- OAT - Anarchist Organization of Tucumán
- ORA - Anarchist Resistance Organization (Buenos Aires)
- OASC - Anarchist Organization of Santa Cruz
- La Tordo Negro - Anarchist organization of Entre Ríos
- Anarchist Impulse Organization (Neuquén-Río Negro)
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063547308480
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A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE SPAIN - news journal UPDATE - (en) Spain, Catalunia, EMBAT: Education Strike (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
A month ago, the first strike in the education sector of the new cycle of mobilizations was held, this week we are having territorial strikes throughout Catalonia that will culminate this Friday in a strike throughout the sector. From Embat we want to make a first analysis of this new cycle. ---- We consider that the strike of February 11 was a total success, starting with its massive follow-up (85% teachers and 50% supervisory staff) and continuing with the organization and demands of the strike.
We have managed to group the entire educational community, forming a single front and bringing together demands, we have managed to overcome the demands by profession and make them for the entire education sector.
It is also a success how the strike of February 11 has overcome the unions, holding assemblies in the centers and mobilizing the entire community, including families, in the preparation and on the day of the strike. It has been understood how all the circumstances affect the entire community and that only together can the situation be changed.
This overflow has been demonstrated again recently, when, after the pact reached by the yellow unions of CCOO and UGT with the department, a consultation carried out by the different unions, apart from these two "agreement-makers", confirmed that more than 40,000 teachers see this pact as insufficient and agree with the upcoming strikes.
Therefore, we consider that this cycle of strikes is being an impetus in the organization of the educational community, generating popular power and strengthening the self-organization of the working class.
That is why we believe that it is necessary to continue strengthening this grassroots self-organization, it is essential that the assemblies in the centers and the class unions are strengthened against the yellow concertation unions.
For a public and quality education, let's build popular power!
March 2026
https://embat.info/vaga-educacio/
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Link: (en) Spaine, Catalunia, EMBAT: Education Strike (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, UCL AL #369 - Ecology - Agriculture: Reversing the Blame, Putting Agribusiness on Trial (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
With capitalism, the predatory model of agribusiness has been dominant in Brittany since the mid-20th century, to the detriment of agricultural cooperatives and farming itself. While voices are being raised in Lorient, repression, as always, is being unleashed on those who denounce the exploitative conditions of the land and the workers. On December 15, 2025, in Lorient, the trial of 12 people arrested in March 2022 following an act of civil disobedience targeting agribusiness, claimed by the Brittany Against Factory Farms collective, took place. The debates during the hearing and the mobilizations have brought the role of this inequitable system back into sharp focus.
In the 19th century, during the rapid expansion of industrial capitalism, regional specialization of agricultural production was implemented to supply the proletariat that was congregating in and around large cities, particularly Paris. Agricultural areas closest to the capital experienced rapid development, such as Normandy and the Beauce region. More distant regions, like Brittany, had more limited access to national markets. The mixed crop-livestock farming model prevalent at the time, which was environmentally friendly, was generally maintained in Brittany until the 1950s to 1970s, depending on the area, while rural exodus was at its peak. The use of chemical fertilizers, which appeared in the 1920s, was limited due to its cost.
France is the third largest pork producer in Europe, with approximately 9,500 farms raising more than 300 pigs (99% of French production). The Brittany region accounts for 57% of the country's pork production.
France is the third largest pork producer in Europe, with approximately 9,500 farms raising more than 300 pigs (99% of French production). The Brittany region accounts for 57% of the country's pork production.
Credits: Vannes Museum of Fine Arts
After the Second World War, the Marshall Plan released funds to develop mechanization and the use of chemical inputs in order to increase agricultural productivity. In Brittany, a land of hedgerows and rolling hills, the introduction of these innovations was particularly hampered by the size of the fields and farms. This period also saw land consolidation, the merging of land accompanied by the destruction of hedgerows and embankments. It was later and more abrupt than elsewhere, and, like mechanization, contributed to the disappearance of smaller, less competitive farms and to the overall expansion of farms. This movement was accompanied by recruitment in factories on the outskirts of cities, such as Rennes, and the resale of land subdivided for consolidation in exchange for a promise of job and income security from employers.
From agricultural cooperatives to integrated farming: Farmers were active participants in these changes, either through their resistance to the advent of this new model (resistance sometimes tinged with reactionary ideas), or by organizing themselves into cooperatives to jointly purchase equipment and inputs, and to collect and sell their produce. Cooperatives were created and developed in conjunction with agricultural unions and, in the case of the largest, have become multinational agribusinesses. In Brittany, this led to the development of intensive pig and poultry farming. This marked the beginning of integrated agriculture, where all inputs are supplied by the cooperative, which obtains the necessary loans from banks and also purchases the produce. Farmers who adopt this model consequently experience a significant loss of autonomy, both in terms of production choices and methods, and in setting prices. Driven by the substantial investments required to remain competitive in an increasingly globalized market, cooperatives are becoming increasingly financialized and merging, losing all democratic character to leaders with one foot in agriculture and the other in the agribusiness industry. From this process emerged the Breton agribusiness giants Eureden and Cooperl.
To maintain competitiveness on international markets, in the face of heavily subsidized agriculture in the United States, aid programs were established at the European level through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) starting in 1962. Initially guaranteeing minimum prices for agricultural products, the CAP has since 1992 evolved towards subsidies paid according to the number of hectares, thus favoring the largest farms. This situation persists and is intensifying, promoting ever-larger farms and consolidating power through land grabbing by a few. Brittany is currently the region of France with the highest number of factory farms, according to a 2023 study[1].
A destructive model preserved by capitalism
The harmful consequences of the agro-industrial development model are clearly visible and now documented worldwide. Brittany is no exception: green tides and the suffocation of waterways linked to nitrates from concentrated livestock farming, particularly pig farming; the impact of pesticide pollution on biodiversity and human health; soil erosion due to the enlargement of fields and mechanization; the emergence of zoonoses (diseases transmitted between animals and humans); the concentration of wealth in the hands of a minority driven by productivism and increased dependence on the financial sector... While this issue is beginning to gain visibility locally, particularly following the green algae scandal, collective reactions remain weakened by the opacity and entrenchment of this system, as well as by the powerful lobbying of agribusiness with the government.
Paradoxically, the first warnings, which emerged as early as the 1970s, were often raised by groups historically not very involved in radical ecological practices. One example is the creation of the association Eau et rivières de Bretagne (Water and Rivers of Brittany), which began as a fishing association observing the disappearance of salmon in certain waterways. It gradually transformed into a citizens' association attempting to lobby for the preservation of water resources in the region and participates more broadly in environmental mobilizations. Another important environmental association is Bretagne vivante (Living Brittany), successor to the Société pour l'étude et la protection de la nature en Bretagne (Society for the Study and Protection of Nature in Brittany), founded in 1959. More recently, in 2020, the Morbihan collective against factory farms was created, unique in that it also includes local farmers and residents mobilized against intensive livestock farming projects.
Resist to denounce!
This group claimed responsibility for the March 2022 action, during which around fifty activists blocked a grain convoy bound for an animal feed factory run by the Le Gouessant cooperative, believing they were targeting the Sanders group. Once the convoy was blocked, the grain was dumped onto the tracks, a wall was built across the rails, and a banner was hung with the message, "Agribusiness is leading us straight into a wall." This act of civil disobedience, symbolic in nature, triggered a strong and immediate crackdown. Searches, bans on demonstrations, and placement under judicial supervision were all part of the response. While the Le Gouessant cooperative and the SNCF, which manages the railway line, unsurprisingly joined the case as civil parties, the National Federation of Farmers' Unions (FNSEA), a reactionary, co-managing agricultural union, also participated in the trial. Indeed, their support for agribusiness has existed for over 70 years, its members being directly responsible for the numerous cooperatives that have become profitable multinationals serving intensive agriculture. FNSEA executives, under the guise of supporting farmers' work, are orchestrating their impoverishment and their dependence on the subsidiaries they manage, all in the pursuit of ever-increasing profits. It is also interesting to note that the regional branch of this union described the event as a "scandalous action" and "against the public interest," while the FNSEA regularly organizes actions that cause far more material damage, as was pointed out during the trial. Their vision of a justice system with double standards clearly illustrates their desire to silence any act of resistance against an agricultural system they manage and which benefits only them.
Although the harmful effects of agribusiness are widely known and acknowledged, it is environmental activists who are being targeted by the justice system.
Although the harmful effects of agribusiness are widely known and acknowledged, it is environmental activists who are being targeted by the justice system.
Credits: UCL Lorient
The trial held in Lorient therefore carries significant symbolic importance, having placed at the heart of the debates throughout the closing arguments not the individual responsibility of the accused, but rather that of agribusiness. Of the twelve defendants, seven received convictions and were fined nearly EUR200,000 in collective penalties, while five were acquitted. Faced with the ecological emergency, let us give them the necessary support to denounce this predatory system of resource exploitation that only benefits capitalists! Brittany Against Factory Farms is organizing a fundraiser to finance legal fees: find out more on their website![2]
Florence and Eric (UCL Lorient)
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[1]See the 2023 Greenpeace study based on figures from the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
[2]https://bretagne-contre-les-fermes-usines.fr/collecte-de-fonds-pour-gagner-en-justice-face-a-letat-et-ses-complices/
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Agriculture-Inverser-la-culpabilite-faire-le-proces-de-l-agro-industrie
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Link: (en) France, UCL AL #369 - Ecology - Agriculture: Reversing the Blame, Putting Agribusiness on Trial (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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