Collective for the Defense of the Gardens of Aubervilliers is an environmentalist group that is comprised of activists and gardeners of allotments based in the Aubervilliers commune in Paris, France. ¹

The group protests the 2024 Olympic Games and, alongside other anti-Olympic and environmental organizations, created a “hidden work campaign” targeting the Games by recruiting Olympics volunteers who intend to disrupt the volunteer work supporting the Games. ²

Background

Collective for the Defense of the Gardens of Aubervilliers (CDGA) is a left-of-center environmentalist group based in the Aubervilliers commune in Saint-Denis, Paris. The group is comprised of gardeners of allotments based in the Aubervilliers commune, and environmental activists. ³

CDGA primarily protests Olympic facilities which are being built on the allotment gardens of Fort d’Aubervilliers in Paris. These allotment gardens have been renamed to the Gardens to Defend (JAD). ^{4 5}

Activities

Hidden Work Campaign

Collective for the Defense of the Gardens of Aubervilliers, with other environmentalist and anti-Olympic organizations, created a “hidden work campaign” in April 2023 to disrupt the Olympic Games by recruiting volunteers who would disrupt the work of the Olympics. ⁶ Organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympics set a goal of recruiting 45,000 volunteers for the occasion, one-third of whom will be utilized during the Paralympic Games. Volunteers will be tasked with guiding visitors, escorting athletes to their competitions, and distributing equipment. ⁷

The “hidden work campaign” asks for members of the public or activist groups to volunteer to help at the Olympic Games and then strike to demand payment, work slowly, or not appear when scheduled. ⁸ The protesting organizations claim this campaign will “prevent this anti-social enterprise from profiting from the free labor of thousands of people.” ⁹

The protesting organizations include CDGA, the anti-Olympics coalition Saccage 2024, French political group Popular Solidarity Brigades Aubervilliers-Pantin, and youth-based environmental organization Youth for Climate Île-de-France. ¹⁰

Olympic Aquatic Center

CDGA, alongside other environmentalist and anti-Olympic organizations, also protested the construction of an Olympic aquatic center for the water polo, diving, and swimming events which will be the only permanent sports facility built for the games. The facility will be built on the Aubervilliers allotments, which have existed for approximately 85 years, and will be spread over 36 hectares. ^{11 12}

The project, which will cost more than €33 million (approximately $34.8 million), will also house a fitness area, saunas, several pools, and steam baths. ¹³

With other environmentalist and anti-Olympic organizations, in April 2021 CDGA occupied the allotment gardens of Fort d’Aubervilliers in Paris, now known as the Gardens to Defend, to protest the construction of the Olympic facility. ¹⁴

Finances

Collective for the Defense of the Gardens of Aubervilliers started a fundraising campaign in 2021 to raise money to cover the group’s legal costs. CDGA used the collected funds to contest the Local Intercommunal Urban Planning Plan which aimed to build on one hectare of the allotment gardens. ¹⁵

According to the fundraising campaign, CDGA spent €5,000 (approximately $5,237) in legal fees by September 18, 2021. These fees jumped to more than €10,000 (around $10,475) by December 28, 2021, but the organization had no success in overturning the decision to build the facility. ¹⁶

In total, CDGA raised €11,628 (approximately $12,181). ¹⁷

1. Pavitt, Michael. “Climate campaigners demonstrate against Paris 2024 project at Aubervilliers.” Inside the Games. March 14, 2022. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1120551/paris-2024-aubervilliers-project-protest.
2. Pavitt, Michael. “Climate campaigners demonstrate against Paris 2024 project at Aubervilliers.” Inside the Games. March 14, 2022. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1120551/paris-2024-aubervilliers-project-protest.
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4. “COLLECTIVE FOR THE DEFENSE OF AUBERVILLIERS WORKERS’ GARDENS.” Papayoux. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.papayoux.com/fr/cagnotte/collectif-de-defense-des-jardins-ouvriers-d-aubervilliers.
5. “Défense des jardins ouvriers d’Aubervilliers.” CDGA. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.jardinsaubervilliers.fr/.
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11. “Aquatics Centre.” Paris 2024. October 9, 2023. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.paris2024.org/en/venue/aquatics-centre/.
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15. “COLLECTIVE FOR THE DEFENSE OF AUBERVILLIERS WORKERS’ GARDENS.” Papayoux. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.papayoux.com/fr/cagnotte/collectif-de-defense-des-jardins-ouvriers-d-aubervilliers.
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17. “COLLECTIVE FOR THE DEFENSE OF AUBERVILLIERS WORKERS’ GARDENS.” Papayoux. Accessed October 9, 2023. https://www.papayoux.com/fr/cagnotte/collectif-de-defense-des-jardins-ouvriers-d-aubervilliers.