In October 2024, twelve activists from the environmental organization Greenpeace staged a protest at the Gravelines nuclear power plant in northern France. Using inflatable boats, they entered the discharge canal of the facility, carrying banners, jellyfish-shaped kites, and blue smoke devices. Their goal was to highlight the risks of marine flooding at the site, which is planned to host two EPR reactors—advanced nuclear power units designed to be more efficient and safer than previous models. The protest was aimed at drawing public and governmental attention to the potential environmental and safety hazards associated with building nuclear reactors in a coastal area vulnerable to rising sea levels. The United Nations special rapporteur on environmental defenders, Michel Forst, raised concerns about the treatment of the activists in a letter sent to French authorities on July 10, 2025. The letter, shared with the press on September 9, expressed alarm over reports that the activists may have been detained and subjected to "degrading treatment and abuse." Forst called the situation "particularly concerning" and criticized the legal actions taken against the group. On September 3, 2025, the Dunkerque court sentenced Greenpeace France to a fine of 30,000 euros and imposed fines of up to 800 euros on each of the twelve activists. Michel Forst described the entire process—arrests, custody, judicial proceedings, criminal convictions, and the ongoing damage claim—as "deeply concerning." He urged France to stop what he called the "persecution, criminalization, and alleged vexatious measures" against the NGO and its members. In addition, the French energy company EDF, which operates the Gravelines plant, has filed a civil lawsuit against Greenpeace, seeking nearly 805,000 euros in damages for the alleged intrusion on its property. EDF stated that the claim aims to recover material and moral damages caused by the activists’ actions. However, Michel Forst criticized the amount as excessive, suggesting it is intended to "silence and threaten" environmental defenders. EDF responded on September 4, clarifying that the compensation request is meant to cover the costs of the incident, but it did not comment further on the criticisms raised by the UN rapporteur.