French police surrounded and tear-gassed protesters with the country’s answer to Just Stop Oil as they attempted to interrupt a meeting of oil bosses this morning. Officers with Paris Police Prefecture set up a cordon around major oil firm TotalEnergies in the French capital this morning as shareholders faced down activists en route to a meeting. They attempted to enter the building as police hemmed in the demonstrators, who were sat, arms linked, in the surrounding streets and clutching placards.
Activists – mostly young men and women – chanted “be gentle, police officers, we’re doing this for your kids!” as they sat on streets near the Salle Pleyel, the central Paris concert hall where the meeting was due to take place.
Their placards attacked the oil giant’s climate record with statements like “The last pipeline before the end of the world” and “Listen to the scientists: No more fossil projects”.
Some protesters who had sat at the scene since were removed by force, with officers seen carrying people away.
Police dispersed others by deploying tear gas sprayed from canisters while escorting shareholders into the venue.
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The activists were undeterred, however, with some vowing to continue opposing such meetings in the future.
Speaking to the Associated Press, demonstrator Camille Etienne said: “We have no choice but to be here every single time they are here.”
TotalEnergies had warned shareholders of the incoming protests beforehand, telling people they could vote remotely if they wished.
Standoffs between police and climate protesters are becoming increasingly familiar for those living in Europe, with similar scenes seen in London earlier this week.
Climate protesters disrupted a Shell shareholder meeting on Tuesday, May 23, when they stormed the Excel Centre.
Shortly after the meeting began, protesters broke into a chorus of “Hit The Road Jack”, singing: “Go to hell Shell and don’t you come back no more.”
Others chanted “Shut down Shell” and disrupted the event for an hour, forcing it to start from 11am rather than the original planned start time of 10am.
Security guards working the event carried some demonstrators outside, where several other groups had gathered.
Groups gathered outside the event included a branch of Extinction Rebellion named Christian Climate Action, Catholic protest group Laudato Si’ Movement and Quakers for Climate Justice.
Following the disruption, Shell claimed protesters were not “interested in constructive engagement”, and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to net zero.
The firm said in a statement that it was committed to its target of becoming net zero by 2050.
Activists have sought to pressure Shell and its fellow oil giants into bringing these targets forward.
