William Molinié, edited by Romain Rouillard 06h33, March 31, 2023, modified at 06h36, March 31, 2023

Very followed by the radical ecologist movement in Sweden, the writer Andreas Malm, 45, was in Paris on Monday, at the invitation of his publisher. It is this man who theorized in his writings the mode of violent action that punctuated the mobilization against the basin of Sainte-Soline last Saturday.

He is a figure little known to the general public in France. At 45 years old, Andreas Malm is one of the masterminds of radical ecologists. This Swedish writer has theorized the concept of violent action to put the environmental cause on the front of the stage. A modus operandi seen last weekend in Sainte-Soline in the Deux-Sèvres where the demonstration against a mega basin project has sunk into violence. Andreas Malm also met with activists of the Earth Uprisings, the movement behind this mobilization.

His message appeals to a part of the far left

His activism began in the 90s when he committed himself to the Palestinian cause and against American imperialism. Andreas Malm then participated in civil disobedience movements before taking the turn of radical ecology. For the past ten years, he has been one of the leading theorists of the genre. Getting public opinion to accept the principle of sabotage for the climate cause is its main hobbyhorse.

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And his message obviously resonates with France. He particularly seduces some far-left activists and has even been invited twice since the beginning of the year to the Institut La Boétie, the think tank of the France insoumise. Each of its meetings in France is also closely followed by the intelligence services. The latter are concerned that activists, hitherto moderate, are becoming receptive to the concept of material degradation that they can consider legitimate if not illegal.