Yesterday, the 2nd of March, another sign against TAV was planted in the city of Turin. Around 60 activists from Reclaim the Fields occupied a piece of land between Corso Marche and Corso Francia. In a few hours the letters NO TAV were carved from the earth and seeded with a variety of grains and peach trees. The action took place on common land that will be privatised and demolished if the highspeed train line between Lyon and Turin (TAV) is built. The activists from all over Europe used the occupation as a chance to hold workshops about open source renewable energy and the difficulties of getting access to land. Many people passing by in their cars enthusiasticly showed their support, some shouting no TAV slogans. The action ended with a spontaneos road block and demonstration march through the streets of Torino.
This guerilla gardening-action also heralds the beggining of a struggle in Torino to protest against the will of the current non-elected Primeminister, Mario Monte, to sell the country’s “Demanio” land. This is common land that has been held open for community use since Roman rule and falls under legislation independant of public or private use. The initiative was startet by Reclaim The Fields, but the hope is to see the neighbourhood overtaking the piece of land, sharing it, growing and harvesting food together. This action can be seen as a metaphor for a kind of growth wich can resist the political narration of economic growth used by projects like TAV.
