A demonstration against the Cigéo project for the burial of nuclear waste was held on Sunday in the Meuse region, despite a prefectural ban. Approximately 85 activists gathered and marched peacefully between Luméville and Mandres-en-Barrois, under close police surveillance.
The security deployment was significant, with numerous checkpoints and aerial resources, including drones and a helicopter. Authorities justified the ban on the gathering by citing the lack of prior notification and fears of public disorder linked to the possible presence of radical groups.
A long-controversial project
The Cigéo project, launched in 1991, plans to bury highly radioactive nuclear waste 500 meters underground starting in 2050. It involves approximately 83,000 m³ of waste intended to remain dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years, a timeframe that fuels criticism from some members of civil society.
The project's cost is now estimated at over €33 billion, a significant increase compared to initial estimates. This financial dimension, coupled with environmental and safety concerns, contributes to maintaining sustained opposition on the ground.
A structured and recurring mobilization
Despite the tense atmosphere, the demonstration proceeded without major incident. Authorities had established exclusion zones around the facilities of the National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management to prevent any unrest.
The Bure site remains a regular rallying point for opponents of the project. Last September, several hundred to a few thousand people had already gathered there, in a declared demonstration that was also heavily policed.
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