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France Vows Crackdown After Illegal Rave at Bourges Military Range

The minister’s pledge signals stricter enforcement of new penalties aimed at unlicensed techno gatherings.

Overview

  • Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who flew over the site Sunday, said bomb squads handled a second unexploded shell and that police had issued about 600 fines.
  • Attendance was disputed, with organizers claiming up to 40,000 people and Nunez citing about 17,000 at the century‑old firing range near Bourges.
  • Officials warned the 10,000‑hectare military site may contain old munitions, and its open roads and lack of fencing made preventing the gathering and clearing the area difficult.
  • Emergency teams treated around a dozen people for mostly minor injuries, twelve were taken to hospitals, and several people were taken into custody.
  • Organizers framed the teknival as a protest against tighter laws, after the lower house in April backed jail terms of up to six months for those who organize or facilitate unauthorized raves.