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Despite the corona pandemic, around 2,500 people illegally celebrated New Year’s Eve in Britain and kept the police busy for almost a day and a half. Since almost none of the participants in the big rave party in northeastern France wore a mask or adhered to the distance rules, authorities fear the event could become a super-spreader. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced tough sanctions against rave participants on Twitter on Saturday.
According to the Ille-et-Vilaine prefecture, five people were arrested and 1,200 paid warnings were issued at the clandestine celebration of Lieuron. They were issued primarily for violations of the mask requirement and night curfew, as well as illegal participation in a gathering. Interior Minister Darmanin announced that initial investigations are ongoing.
Isolated resistance to police operations
By early Thursday afternoon, more and more young people were gathering at the industrial site south of the Breton city of Rennes. According to the prefecture, guests from other French departments and even from abroad were also attracted to the disused hangar in Lieuron. Law enforcement officials tried to stop the party and faced violence from some of the celebrators. Three gendarmes were injured during the operation.
Security forces were on duty at the facility for hours. They secured the area and distributed disinfectants and masks. Access to the party was stopped before New Year’s Eve, as Home Secretary Darmanin wrote. The exit of the cars was controlled, the warnings were issued in a systematic way. As the French news agency AFP reported, several people still celebrated at the rave on Friday night.
Late end
The illegal party didn’t end until Saturday morning. According to French media reported, the sound was cut off early in the morning and the system was dismantled. In the morning, the national gendarmerie announced on Twitter that the party had come to an end. According to the prefecture, the area was under the control of emergency services around 10 a.m.
Due to the corona pandemic, strict contact restrictions apply in France. According to a government recommendation, no more than six adults should meet at home on New Year’s Eve. A nightly curfew also prohibits leaving the house between 8 pm and 6 am without a valid reason.
The pandemic hit France hard with its almost 67 million inhabitants. More than 64,700 people died and about 2.6 million people became infected with the coronavirus.
Politicians react outraged
In the tense health situation, the illegal mass party caused outrage. Deputy Florian Bachelier wrote on Twitter that the meeting “shames our country, our nurses who have been on duty for months, our dead.” MP Aurore Berge also said on Twitter: “It can’t be that a handful of people let us pay for their inconsistency” and called for systematic checks and warnings.
In addition to outrage, the big event also raised concerns about numerous new infections with the corona virus. The Breton health authority urged the party guests to isolate themselves immediately and get tested. A test center has been established in Lieuron, as the prefecture wrote. Encourage the illegal party participants to visit the test site. (afp, apa)
