Because of the ban on an illegal rave, violent clashes between party guests and the police broke out in north-west France. There were several injured, as the responsible prefecture announced early Saturday morning on Twitter.
Prefect Emmanuel Berthier said a young man lost a hand in the extreme violence and eleven gendarmes were injured. The clashes lasted more than seven hours. Some participants had thrown Molotov cocktails, boule balls and stones at security forces. As the French news agency AFP reported with reference to the Rennes public prosecutor, five men were taken into police custody.
“It was war”
On Saturday night, around 1500 party guests tried to hold a rave in the small Breton town of Redon. However, this was prohibited because of the corona situation. The gendarmerie was deployed with around 400 men. According to Berthier, the situation had calmed down on Saturday morning. According to him, the area was cleared in the evening. The public prosecutor’s office has initiated investigations.
The collective “Teknival des musiques interdites” accused the police of using violence instead of dialogue and using tear gas. “It was war,” said 22-year-old participant Flo. The prefecture had banned music festivals, and there is also a corona-related curfew in France from 11 p.m., which should be lifted from Sunday.
The rave party reportedly took place in memory of a 24-year-old who fell and died two years ago in the course of a police operation during a music festival in Nantes in the Loire. (SDA / AFP)
Published: 06/20/2021, 7:42 am
Last updated: June 20, 2021, 55 minutes ago