Groups linked to the alternative techno scene are calling for demonstrations in around thirty French cities to protest against several proposed laws aimed at tightening regulations on free parties. Organizers denounce the legislation as "liberty-destroying" and accuse the government of criminalizing a festive culture that emerged in the 1990s.
Rallies are planned as early as this weekend in Angoulême, Dijon, Montpellier, Caen, and Marseille, ahead of further demonstrations announced for early June, notably in Paris. Organizers refer to these as “manifestives,” a blend of protest and festive demonstration, to defend what they present as a cultural and musical heritage.
Stricter sanctions are being debated in Parliament.
The Ripost bill, adopted by the Senate, provides for stricter penalties against organizers of undeclared music gatherings. The text stipulates up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine for organizers, as well as penalties for participants.
Meanwhile, another proposal put forward by Lætitia Saint-Paul also aims to strengthen the criminalization of these events. Proponents of free parties believe that these initiatives are based on a caricatured view of these gatherings, often associated by their detractors with public disturbances, drugs, and security risks.
The groups, on the contrary, are calling for a resumption of dialogue with the authorities. In early May, a Teknival organized near Bourges brought together up to 40,000 participants on a military site for several days, illustrating the persistent scale of this counterculture in France.
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