Greenpeace activists have parked a fire truck outside the entrance to the Elysee Palace in Paris, accusing French President Emmanuel Macron of contributing to the fires now ravaging the Amazon rainforest.
A huge banner was placed on the truck’s extended ladder, reading: “Amazon Rain Forest On Fire. Macron Still Complicit.”
[ACTION] Stop aux importations qui détruisent l’#Amazonie !L’an dernier, @EmmanuelMacron promettait de lutter contre la déforestation. Depuis ? Aucune mesure concrète. Nous bloquons un accès à l’Élysée pour dénoncer l’hypocrisie d’Emmanuel Macron et l’appeler à agir. #JeudiPhotopic.twitter.com/hkznGGLIBC
Around 15 eco-activists took part in the protest outside the presidential residence and some of them ended up being detained by the police, according to Greenpeace.
Olé ?Vous ne verrez pas le message “Soja importé = forêts brûlées” inscrit sur la banderole de cette vidéo… Nous avons bloqué un accès à l’Elysée ce matin pour demander l’interdiction des importations qui contribuent à la destruction de l’#Amazonie. https://t.co/Cv6XMKeYcNpic.twitter.com/ZRJYv0uvtz
The group accuses Macron of being partly responsible for the wildfires, which intensified in the Amazon in the first week of September, and not doing enough to tackle the problem.
Brazil reported 8,373 fires in its part of the Amazon rainforest in the first seven days of the month, which is more than double that of the same period in 2019.
Greenpeace is especially upset with the export of millions of tons of Brazilian soybeans to France, which is also contributing to the deforestation of the area – which produces around 20 percent of the oxygen on Earth.
In blocking access to Macron’s residence, the group apparently drew inspiration from fellow activists from Extinction Rebellion, who last week glued themselves to the pavement outside the entrances to the UK Parliament to pressure MPs into supporting an “emergency” climate bill.
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