Arriving Friday evening, around 3,000 people took part in a rave party in an abandoned warehouse in Brie (Ille-et-Vilaine), located on the edge of the Rennes-Angers dual carriageway, despite a prefectural ban, indicates the prefecture.
“During the night, clashes broke out between ravers and local residents, requiring a strong mobilization of state services”explains the press release.
According to fire captain Julien Valdenaire, commander of rescue operations, the first altercations between revelers and a group of travelers living next to the hangar broke out in the early evening. “It got out of hand” in the night and “the police intervened to prevent this from causing numerous victims”he told AFP.
He cited “jets of projectiles” et “of stones”as well as the use of “baseball bats”. Several vehicles were damaged, including broken windshields, participants explained.
A total of 15 people were slightly injured “including 8 taken to hospital”specified the prefecture at the end of the day.
The new prefect of Ille-et-Vilaine, Amaury de Saint-Quentin, condemned “firmly addresses all the acts of violence that occurred during the night, and reminds all parties of their responsibility.”
Up to 120 firefighters and around 80 gendarmes were mobilized overnight. An advanced medical post was set up near the scene to care for the injured.
The organizers stopped the music around 1 a.m., putting an end to the rave. Calm returned at dawn and the ravers gradually left the site during the day.
Thomas, 22, was sleeping in his tent set up in the parking lot in front of the hangar when he was woken up in the middle of the night.
“They stoned us to make us leave the hangar, there was a projectile, like a Molotov cocktail, which went over my head”he told AFP.
The organizers of the rave then intervened on the microphone to stop the music, adds Malou, 22 years old. “They blocked the hangar to confine us inside. Those who were outside were stoned.”
According to Pierre, 25 years old, “the gypsies had warned the organizers in advance, telling them: if you are still there on Saturday evening, we will destroy everything”.
According to a man identifying himself as a member of the Travelers and living near the hangar, “around ten” people from his community intervened “to protect our children”.
“We found a syringe in our garden, it’s not just because of the music”he explained to AFP on condition of anonymity.
In a press release released early in the evening, the prefecture indicated that the police had issued several fines, including 479 fines for participation in a prohibited demonstration and 34 misdemeanor fixed fines (AFD) for possession of drugs.
These controls also “led to two arrests followed by police custody measures”specifies the prefecture.
In addition, the sound equipment used for the rave was seized.
