Montpellier: vandalism on the building site of the Lien, “significant” resources to identify the culprits
Midi Libre, April 14, 2022
Since its launch, the Lien construction site (Intercommunal link of northern bypass), in Grabels and Saint-Gély-du-Fesc, has been the target of acts of vandalism. Each time, complaints have been filed. Last December, the departmental council, the project owner, denounced damage amounting to “several hundred thousand euros”, while the prefecture brought together the companies and the gendarmerie to set up reinforced surveillance.
Four machines destroyed, seven others damaged
The public prosecutor, Fabrice Bélargent, specifies that “the gendarmes of the units of the company of Castelnau-le-Lez are currently investigating three series of events to which the same company, the Cazal company, was victim. These acts were committed between 14 and 15 December, the total destruction of a construction machine by fire and damage to six other machines by spilling earth into the tanks; on 18 February, the damage to a crusher; and between 22 and 23 [March], the destruction of a crusher and 2 trucks.”
“Technical and scientific police resources”
Mr. Bélargent adds that “all of these acts are still being investigated, including the technical processing of all the samples collected on site” and that “the technical and scientific police resources put in place are on a large scale given the significant damage”.
For his part, Lieutenant-Colonel Vanderstiggel, commander of the Castelnau-le-Lez company, stresses that the gendarmerie has set up “an increased presence on the site, in direct link with the security agents deployed by the companies on the site. Every evening, we are in contact with them”.
Concerning the events of February 18, the intrusion of members of the Extinction Rebellion movement in the middle of the day into a crushing zone and the damage to a machine, the commander of the Castelnau-le-Lez company indicates that one person, the leader of the group, was arrested. “The proceedings is underway,” he said.
