Demonstration in Creys-Malville in 1977

The Manifestion in Creys-Malville in July 1977 is a gathering against the project of Nuclear plant of Super-Phenix on the future site of Creys-Malville in the Isere which took place the July 31st 1977. Confrontations violent one between demonstrators and police force made a death among the demonstrators.

Context and unfolding

Since the beginning of the year 1977, debates and initiatives had prepared this demonstration on the initiative in particular Comité Malville of Grenoble. Before even starting, it had caused a debate which had led the national press to make headlines on Super-Phenix and to have specificities of the die to fast neutrons and coolant sodium with the whole of the French.

July 31st, 1977, 60 000 Antinuclear S, inhabitants of the area, peasants, trade unionists, ecologists of several countries of Europe (Swiss, Germany, Italy), go against Super-Phenix. The prefect Rene Jannin deployed important means: 5 000 mobile CRS gendarmes and guards, helicopters, amphibious vehicles, opening bridges, a regiment of gendarmes parachutists and members of the riot squads.

Before the demonstration, it had been announced to the organizers of the demonstration that it would be interdict to approach the site of the nuclear plant. 5 500 hectares around the perimeter of the power station had been prohibited with any circulation.

At the time of the Demonstration, a few thousands of demonstrators take seat in the fields vis-a-vis the police force. Behind them, several thousands of people are bound on the road. Some demonstrators are armed with sticks, of iron bars, or of coktails Molotov, some stones throw. The police force risposte with offensive grenades and charges. With dimensions one of the demonstrators, the service of order is exceeded and of the scuffles burst. Vital Michalon is killed by a tended shooting of teargas grenade; several tens of demonstrators are wounded, including two mutilated (Michel Grandjean and Manfred Schultz): one loses a hand and the other a foot. The Autopsie of Vital Michalon concludes with a death caused by “pulmonary lesions from the type from those which one finds during an explosion”. With dimensions one of the police force, five people are wounded, including 2 seriously; a police officer with the hand torn off by the explosion of an offensive grenade.

This demonstration with Malville in 1977 probably represents one of the last large gatherings “soixante-huitard” in France with the manifestations of the Larzac and Naussac.

In 1987, then in 1997 and 2007, at the date birthday of the demonstration, a gathering and a fast were organized by antinuclear militants in commemoration of died of Vital Michalon.

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