Mayor of Colmar angry after paint campaign: did climate activists kill fish?

class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>

Activists from the climate group Extinction Rebellion repeatedly cause a stir. Bodies of water are also colored. Extinction Rebellion has also struck in the city of Zurich; in 2019 they colored the Limmat green.

Now the activists are accused of destroying the environment and killing fish with their watercolors. Eric Straumann, mayor of the French town of Colmar in Alsace, said dozens of dead fish were found after a dyeing operation last weekend. The activists were protesting against a toxic waste dump that is to be built 20 kilometers south of the city.

«I had to see the effects of this color with my own eyes. “It remained visible for 24 hours,” Straumann said, according to a report in The Times. The city is now considering filing criminal charges against the activists. The action was “unacceptable,” Straumann said – even though he himself supported the activists’ concerns. The color not only killed fish but also caused “visual damage” in the city.

Activists downplay

Extinction Rebellion has also responded to the allegations. The fluorescein used for the coloring is harmless to the environment and has already been used in countless campaigns. “At least one dead fish was already swimming in the water before the fluorescein was dumped into the water,” the statement said.

«This dye is harmless and is widely used by fish farmers, fishermen and drinking water technicians. We hope that the city government will carry out the necessary checks to prove that there is no risk,” the activists said.

After the action, police arrested a man who had dumped the dye in the river. He was released after initial questioning by authorities, according to the Times. (zis)

Source: Blick