Deep in the tranquil Forest of Sivens in the south of France, eco-militant activists and French riot police are fighting a violent battle in woodlands being cut down to make way for a dam, which will spell the end for 41 acres of trees. The activists are armed with Molotov cocktails and gas canisters; the police are trying to protect workers as they clear the forest. The local council says that the dam will irrigate cornfields in the area, but the activists — and many locals — are against the destruction. VICE News followed the fight for the forest alongside the group of activists that have previously been hostile to any media approaches.