Anger of farmers in Nîmes: “For all those who want it this evening, it’s Operation Cobra!”

David Sève, président de la FDSEA, vendredi soir sur l'A9, juste avant le discours du Preier Ministre. MIDI LIBRE – Alexis BETHUNE

This Friday evening, after a relaxed afternoon, the farmers watched the announcements on screen. The atmosphere suddenly darkened. Account of the last hours of anger.

They've been stamping around all day. While waiting for the fateful hour of announcements. Until very precisely at 5:44 p.m., the dashing face of the brand new Prime Minister finally appeared, on the overhead projector specially installed on the A9 motorway cut off to traffic for 48 hours.< /p>

From Gabriel Attal's first words, annoyances are felt. Because in the eyes of the hundred or so farmers gathered under the bridge of the Nîmes Ouest motorway interchange since the day before, the head of government is clearly dragging it out. « He tells us the announcements! Go ahead, give birth! » we hear here and there in the compact crowd.

18h10. While representatives of the profession take notes on the first measures, some farmers boo the following ones, relating to the simplification of administrative or even jurisdictional procedures for the profession. « Who cares, send the rest! », urges one of them annoyed. He amuses us, says another. « He laughs in our faces, says one last, when the Prime Minister laughs.

7:30 p.m. The long-awaited speech ends. David Sève, president of the FDSEA du Gard, is amazed. Using the megaphone, standing on a bale of straw, the one who a few hours earlier was trying to calm the crowds this time changes his tune. Disgusted. « Lighten the regulations on mowing hedges ? Make it easier to create files ? He’s crazy! It's off topic! That’s not what we want!!, denounces the representative of the profession before urging: « For all those who want it, tonight, this evening, it's operation “Cobra” ! »
As night falls and the artificial lights come on, around thirty men mask their faces and get on their tractors, having previously masked each registration plate with thick tape. rsquo;head towards the southeast of the city.

7:10 p.m. The farmers are at customs, route d’Arles. They create a first fire. A unit of mobile forces comes running. The firefighters intervene. What follows is a game of cat and mouse between law enforcement and farmers.

8 p.m. They are announced at the tax center on boulevard de Saintenac, but it is ultimately to the Antonins stadium that they are heading. There are dozens of them trying to return. We shake the gates. Finally, some entered the enclosure, unfurled a banner, sang… before leaving around 8:30 p.m. for, possibly, other actions during the night.