FRANCE: Agricultural union attacks environmental associations
In December 2025, Coordination Rurale (CR), a right-wing agricultural union, defending the interests of farmers in France, carried out various attacks against environmental associations and their volunteers and employees. On 10 December, CR members vandalised the premises of the associations Nature Environnement 17 and the League for the Protection of Birds in Surgères, including damaging the premises, writing insults and leaving the head of a wild boar as a sign of intimidation. Overnight on 17-18 December, CR also vandalised the premises of the organisations Vienne Nature, Poitou-Charentes Nature and France Nature Environnement Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the umbrella of nature and environmental protection organisations in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Waste was dumped at the entrance gate and CR Vienne claimed responsibility for the action with threatening comments against the associations, their volunteers, and employees. The attacks occurred only a month after the new leader of CR, Bertrand Venteau, called publicly for the “killing of the environmentalists” in November 2025 and area continuation of previous intimidation and acts of violence by CR activists against environmental rights groups and defenders.