Paris: Autolib’ up in smoke, in your face Bolloré!

Saturday 19th December

Despite the alarmist sirens, the state of emergency didn’t prevent us these last few days in bringing our modest contribution to the anti-capitalist offensive, more specifically to an alleged solution to the ecological crisis; the subsidiary Blue Solutions of the Bolloré Group, to the delight of their investors, green-washing their image whilst conquering new markets.

For some years the Bolloré Group, flagship of French excellence in the field of environmental innovations, sign lucrative contracts with the municipalities and RATP [Autonomous Operator of Parisian Transports], to step by step install Autolib’ stations supplied with the deadly energy power that is nuclear, and soon scooters, buses and trams of the same sort.

For those who do not know Bolloré, to recall it’s one of the French lords of finance, industry, transport and communication networks worldwide. Thanks to numerous subsidiaries, they built an empire exploiting resources in the former French colonies among others. To name just a few recent examples of the Bolloré empire’s abuses, we can mention the displacement of indigenous peoples land in Cambodia to grow rubber fig trees; or the proposed oil palm plantation projects in Sierra Leone on the land of local communities opposed to the destruction of their cultures and forests. Also, how many lives will it cost to build the 2,700km railway loop line of Bolloré Africa Logistics to connect the Ivory Coast in Togo?

It’s also because the Autolib’ project is part of the smart city project that is Greater Paris, within the revaluation and restructuring of entire neighbourhoods to the detriment of the poor who live there, to be replaced with a more docile and well-off population, we decided to act accordingly.

Lighting a simple box of fire-lighters placed under a vehicle wheel is enough to turn an Autolib’ into a shell, as anyone passing these previous days could see; Stalingrad Avenue in Montreuil, Pasteur Avenue in Bagnolet and Mathis Street in the 18th arrondissement. It’s one method among many others to render them unusable…

As long as there is oxygen and determination, there will be fire, and there aren’t any reasons why it won’t continue!

in German