Climate Activists Break Into Chemicals Plant In France

Several hundred protesters briefly broke into a plant owned by chemicals group Arkema near Lyon in southeastern France to protest against alleged pollution from the site and eight people were arrested, local authorities said.

“An action was carried out by radical activists against the Arkema company in Pierre Bénite in early afternoon  Police quickly intervened to prevent damage and eight individuals have already been arrested,” a government official for the Auvergne-Rhone region wrote on X.

Report says in December 2022, the Pierre Benite site was targeted by similar action. Arkema said it would again file a complaint.

It said it had been investing so the site could stop using fluorinated additives by the end of 2024 and had started using a filtration solution reducing its emissions by over 90%.

REUTERS/Christopher Ojilere