An illegal rave in the Lozère region of France saw an attendance of nearly 10,000 people last weekend. Consequentially, authorities shut down the event and temporarily locked the site down.
Revelers eager to dance to live music in a social setting took to the fields of Lozère for the makeshift, outdoor event. Breaking social distancing guidelines and mostly ignoring safety precautions, the majority of attendees did not appear to be wearing face coverings.
French news publication The Local reported that hundreds of vehicles were parked at the site in the Cévennes National Park on Saturday, August 8th to attend the event. Nearly doubling the 5,000-person limit for outdoor events instituted by the French government, Sunday’s rave did not follow the regulation, or many others that have been recently implemented in France, in order to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When French authorities caught wind of the unsanctioned event, they responded by blocking off entry and exit to the site “for health reasons linked to the risk of spreading COVID-19.” The lock down saw nearly 4,500 people still onsite by the following Monday afternoon.
Authorities distributed hand sanitizer, facial coverings, and drinking water to those on the grounds. Many attendees were considered to be too inebriated to safely leave the site immediately, keeping them in Cévennes longer than planned, and leaving them with fines for public drunkenness and drug use.
A mobile clinic staffed by Red Cross personnel was also set up at the site to ensure safety and proper handling concerning an outbreak. Locals of the Lozère region, among France’s least populated, expressed outrage at the event and its attendees.
“People from Lozère take COVID very seriously,” said local Préfet Valerie Hatsch. “They have respected the distancing measures and this massive influx of people who flout all the rules has shocked them profoundly.”
In recent weeks, France has reported that new cases of coronavirus infections have nearly doubled, prompting the French government to extend the 5,000-person limit for public outdoor events. Since August 10th, France has reported nearly 1,400 new infections, and 14 COVID-19-related deaths.
