40,000 Ravers Occupy French Military Site in Protest
An illegal free party on a French military site attracted up to 40,000 ravers this past weekend, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between the underground dance community and the French government.
The Bourges Teknival took over a military firing range near Bourges on Friday, 1st May, continuing into the following day despite official warnings regarding the potential presence of unexploded mortars dating back to World War II. Organisers stated that they specifically chose the location—situated in the hometown of Interior Minister Laurent Nunez—to protest recently proposed legislation by French lawmakers aimed at a “crackdown” on free parties and their organisers.
Nunez addressed the press on Saturday, stating that the scale of the illegal rave has only motivated him to intensify the proposed anti-free party bill. “To ensure this doesn’t happen again, sanctions must be toughened,” he remarked. “Our fellow citizens do not understand.” Nunez confirmed that fines related to the weekend’s event, which already numbered more than 600, would be issued for trespassing on the military site in addition to participation in the illegal gathering.
The proposed legislation seeks to punish organisers of free parties with 250 attendees or more with up to six months in prison and fines of €30,000. Under the same bill, participants could face fines of up to €1,500 for first offences, rising to €3,000 for subsequent violations.
Reflecting on the cultural significance of these events, an organiser of a separate illegal protest rave held in Marseille on 26th April told Euro News: “I think that if they (lawmakers) had been with us, they might have a different idea of what this scene is and of the possibilities it opens up.”
The French government has struggled to manage the underground scene for years. Previous flashpoints include an August 2020 illegal rave in Lozère attended by over 10,000 people, and a June 2021 incident in Redon where a man lost his hand during a police operation to break up a 1,500-person event.
See footage from the free party via Al Jazeera and from social media below.
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