A quiet stretch of farmland in eastern France has become the center of a heated debate after a group of farmers took matters into their own hands to clear what they claimed was an illegal encampment.
Residents in the Hautes-Vosges region had grown increasingly frustrated after a large group of travellers, described as a “Gypsy camp,” set up caravans and vehicles on private land without permission.
Despite repeated calls for help, locals say law enforcement did little to intervene.
According to reports, the campers had occupied the land for several days, ignoring requests to leave. With harvest season approaching, the farmers feared the loss of valuable crop space.
Local officials reportedly failed to provide timely assistance, further inflaming tensions between the landowners and the group.
As the standoff continued, frustration among the farmers began to boil over.
Then came the turning point.
CCTV and phone footage shows at least six tractors circling the camp while blasting the area with a thick stream of slurry. The mixture, made from manure and water, coated the caravans, cars, and surrounding land.
The scene quickly turned chaotic as squatters emerged, pleading with the farmers to stop. One man even climbed onto a tractor and banged on the window in an attempt to halt the spraying.
But the farmers kept going.
Footage of the incident was soon uploaded to Instagram and YouTube, sparking a wave of reactions online.
“The way the squatters try to fight them off as if it’s their land and not the farmers! The level of entitlement is astounding,” one commenter wrote.
Others took a different view.
“Open your mind to the possibility that maybe these fields were vacant for years, growing nothing. Then the camp moves in thinking the land was abandoned,” another user argued.
Some even praised the farmers, calling the move bold and effective. Others condemned it as inhumane and excessive.
Authorities finally stepped in after the footage went viral.
A court ordered the squatters to vacate the land within 24 hours or face fines. The ruling applied to roughly 500 people living across 200 caravans.
The French Interior Ministry later confirmed new legislation would be introduced in the fall, increasing penalties for illegal occupation of land.
This isn’t the first time farmers have turned to such tactics.
In the UK, farmer Jack Bellamy went viral after using liquid manure to drive a camper off his land in Devon. While trespassing is a civil offense, landowners can demand immediate departure without facing legal consequences.
As the French video continues to circulate, public opinion remains sharply divided.
Whether viewed as an act of desperation or a step too far, the farmers’ method has reignited the debate over land rights, personal property, and the limits of self-enforcement.
Featured image Credit: (Canva)
