France’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, has vowed to clamp down on illegal music gatherings following his visit to an unauthorised rave near Bourges.
The event, known as Teknival, began on Friday and has attracted up to 17,000 attendees, according to Nuñez. Organisers deliberately chose a military site near Bourges, the minister’s hometown, to protest proposed legislation that would intensify penalties for hosting or attending such events, escalating them from minor offences to criminal acts.
“This protest only strengthens the government’s determination to better enforce laws against these unregulated gatherings, which many of our citizens do not understand,” Nuñez said after inspecting the measures deployed by authorities at the site.
He reiterated his commitment to pushing the proposed “Ripost” bill, which would classify hosting an unregistered rave as a criminal offence punishable by up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine. The legislation also includes penalties for participating in such events.
The bill aligns with another measure, known as proposal 1133, spearheaded by Horizons MP Laetitia Saint-Paul and recently passed by the National Assembly. Still pending Senate approval, the law would impose up to six months’ imprisonment and a €30,000 fine for anyone who contributes to the planning or execution of unauthorised raves.
The proposal broadens the definition of involvement to include indirect actions, such as sharing practical information about the event.
