Around 700 demonstrators gathered at the controversial megabasin site in Saint-Sauvant, France, with organizers claiming participation of about 1,000 activists. The protest, aimed at opposing state-promoted irrigation reserves, featured the construction of an observatory for the protected bird species, the canepetière bustard. Authorities implemented restrictions, including bans on protective gear and closures of two regional roads. Tensions grow in the area as environmentalists challenge various water-related projects, following governmental moves to expedite water storage initiatives.