“It’s to stop the construction site”: 10 detained after nails planted in trees at future Nantes detention center

Ten people were detained Sunday evening after nails were driven into trees at the site of a planned administrative detention center in Nantes, in an action police believe was intended to disrupt the project.

The detainees were placed in custody on suspicion of taking part in a group preparing violence against people and of endangering others by creating an immediate risk of death or serious injury. A source close to the case said the goal was likely to prevent the trees from being felled, but warned that nails could also seriously injure workers.

If a chainsaw strikes a nail, its chain could break and hit the operator, potentially causing severe injuries or disfigurement. The incident came one week after the project received environmental approval. France 3 Pays de la Loire reported that the first trees were felled on Monday.

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It is to stop the construction site, we know that very well. We are at the beginning...

No group had claimed responsibility for the latest operation. Extinction Rebellion and Les Soulèvements de la Terre had publicly claimed a separate action against the construction company, Léon Grosse, on April 23. Investigators were questioning the detainees at Nantes central police station.

The center is intended for foreign nationals subject to removal orders that cannot be carried out immediately. The national program aims to increase detention capacity, and Nantes police say the facility would reduce the need to travel across France to carry out some removals. The project has met strong opposition in the city, whose mayor, Johanna Rolland, has spoken against it. The prefect issued the building permit on August 18 after a public consultation drew many negative responses, and signed the environmental approval on September 1 after changes requested by an inquiry commission.

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You can imagine that it is to stop the felling of the trees. But beyond that, when you plant nails in trees, you know perfectly well that you risk injuring people.