Fed up with a lack of action from local authorities, a group of French farmers took matters into their own hands, using a foul but effective tactic to remove squatters from their land.
Video footage shows the farmers confronting what they described as an “illegal Gypsy camp” that had set up without permission.
According to locals, the group of squatters had been occupying the farmland for several days, sparking tension with nearby residents and the property owners.
Frustrated by what they saw as a lack of police support, the farmers say they were left with no option but to take action themselves.
Eyewitnesses claimed there had been multiple complaints to law enforcement, but little was done to resolve the situation, The Sun reports.
CCTV clips captured the dramatic scene as at least six tractors circled a group of caravans and cars, spraying the area with a powerful stream of waste; a pungent cocktail of water, sludge, and animal excrement.
In the footage, members of the squatter group are seen emerging from their vehicles, pleading with the farmers to stop the stinking assault.
One man, clearly desperate, climbs onto a tractor and bangs on the cab window in an attempt to halt the spray, but the farmers remained undeterred as they coated the entire strip of land.
After the video was shared to Instagram and YouTube, users flocked to the comments to voice their opinions.
"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 person wrote, while another added: "I would do this from the air. Crop dusting on steroids."
Someone else chimed in with: "Best thing I’ve seen all day, great work."
Though, others weren't so supportive. As one person put it: "Open your mind to the possibility that maybe these fields were vacant for years, growing nothing, barren because they don't have money to farm them. Then the gypsy camp moves into this land [sic] they see available forever. You don't know."
Though, this isn’t an isolated incident. A similar approach was taken by British farmer Jack Bellamy, who made headlines for using slurry to evict an unwanted camper from his land in Devon.
In a viral video, Bellamy spotted a tent pitched on his property and wasted no time reacting. “I tell you what, these **** will set up anywhere,” he muttered before jumping into his tractor and showering the trespasser's belongings with a smelly mix of manure, according to News.com.au.
In the UK, temporary camping is allowed for up to 60 days per year on private land, but only if the landowner has granted permission. Without it, campers or squatters are considered trespassers. While trespassing is a civil offence and not criminal, landowners are within their rights to demand immediate departure.
And if polite requests fail, some farmers clearly aren’t afraid to get their hands (and fields) dirty.