Some 2,500 French police tore down flaming barricades and fired tear gas at tenacious squatters Monday as they evacuated a protest camp erected nearly a decade ago to block construction of an airport. One police officer was hospitalized after being hit in the eye with a flare, but was not in life-threatening condition, according to the national gendarme service. Police fired some 50 tear gas grenades at a group of about 30 to 50 activists throwing gasoline bombs, stones and flares at police, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Frederic Delanouvelle. The French government in January abandoned plans for the airport after 50 years of debate, and gave squatters until spring to clear out. The government requisitioned the land from farmers for the airport, but is now offering to return the land to those who want it.

Source: ABC News April 09, 2018 07:56 UTC