Caen (Calvados): Sabotage of an electric charging station

Translated by actforfree.noblogs.org

 

What is the ecological transition?

It’s a change in the energy production model that doesn’t break with capitalist growth, the plundering of resources, neo-colonial exploitation and the destruction of the living.

It’s a continuation of the general increase in production, particularly electricity production. Consequently, ecological transition is synonymous with the revival of nuclear power, giant wind power projects, mega solar panel farms and the continued production of fossil fuels. It also means the reinforcement of extractivism and opening new mines, such as lithium mines to produce millions of electric batteries. It also means ever more infrastructure, extra-high-voltage lines, transformers, undersea cables… ever more pollution, waste and death.

 

It’s the creation of new markets, new factories, millions of jobs, and the reproduction of an alienating system that destroys the individual. It’s a transition to new forms of exploitation, and the continuation of the society of work. It’s still the metro-work-sleep (yes, but decarbonized!).

It’s the digitization of the world, the loss of autonomy, the destruction of solidarity, mass surveillance…

It’s the misleading presentation of technology as a solution to political problems, it’s the absolute belief in the ideology of progress, it’s driving straight into the wall (yes, but electric!).

Above all, it’s a vast political manipulation by which the world’s leaders hope to appease us by making us believe that their activities will now be “green” and “eco-responsible”.

We don’t want this transition or any other: we want a revolution. And that means destroying capitalism’s infrastructure here and now.

This is why a MobiSDEC electric charging point was sabotaged with expanding foam on August 7 in Caen, on the Place du Parvis Notre-Dame, right next to the Conseil Départemental and the Préfecture du Calvados, which are both “partners” of the Syndicat Départemental d’Énergies du Calvados (SDEC), which installs and maintains most of the charging points in the department.

The sabotaged charging station is also a stone’s throw from the Place de la République site, where mayor Joël Bruneau and Normandy’s biggest property developer SEDELKA are planning to build a “gourmet market” and underground parking lot, raising rents, commodifying the space, securing the square and persecuting those who don’t come there to consume. So, as stated in a communique issued following the sabotage of an electric charging point in Caen on May 17: let’s pull the plug on connected neighborhoods! Against their electric world, their devastating projects and the authoritarian capitalism that is ruining our lives.

28/09/2023