Bertrand Venteau sentenced for inciting violence against environmentalists

Bertrand Venteau, president of the French agricultural union Coordination rurale, has been sentenced by the Auch criminal court to a 15,000 euro fine, including 10,000 euros suspended. The ruling follows his statement during a union congress on November 19, 2025, where he told supporters, ‘the ecologists, degrowth want to kill us, we must skin them.’

The court found Venteau guilty of ‘public and direct provocation not followed by effect to commit a crime or an offense.’ Because the assembly was open to the press, the court determined the legal requirement for public provocation was met. Venteau was also ordered to pay 1,500 euros to the association France nature environnement for legal costs.

Venteau has announced his intention to appeal, stating he has ‘no regrets or remorse’ and will continue to fight what he describes as ‘punitive ecology.’ Representatives from France nature environnement noted that the union is ‘no longer above the law’ and highlighted previous acts of violence against environmental associations following his remarks.