Weekend protests planned in France against rave crackdown
Protesters oppose a proposed law tightening penalties on 'free parties'
Demonstrations will take place in 30 cities in total
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Six protests have been announced during the month of May, followed by a further 24 in June, to oppose proposed legislation aimed at strengthening penalties for organising rave parties.
Raves, or free parties (les fêtes libres) are unlicensed, often remote, large-scale electronic music events that are typically free or donation-based and organised without commercial sponsorship or formal authorisation.
The draft law, commonly referred to as the “Ripost” bill, has been adopted by the Senate and is now being debated in the National Assembly.
The proposed legislation would introduce new offences for anyone contributing, directly or indirectly, to the preparation, organisation or running of unlicensed rave parties.
Under the bill, organisers and facilitators could face up to six months in prison and a €30,000 fine, while participants would be liable to a fifth-class fine of up to €1,500, rising to €3,000 in cases of repeat offences. The threshold for mandatory declaration of a rave event with the local préfecture would also be lowered from 500 to 250 participants.
It is in opposition to this legislation that the Tekno Anti Rep collective is calling for and organising demonstrations in around 30 cities across France.
They argue that “defending free parties is not necessarily about liking techno music. It is about defending the idea that we can still meet freely.”
In their communications, they accuse the government of targeting gatherings where thousands of people come together without commercial sponsorship, expensive ticketing, or formal control, and without prior authorisation.
On Saturday, protests are set to take place in:
Angoulême – 14:00 – train station
Caen – 13:30 – outside Le Cargo (Cours Caffarelli)
Dijon – 11:00 – Place de la République
Montpellier – 14:00 – town hall
Nevers – 14:00 – Maison de la Culture (cultural centre)
On Sunday, a further demonstration is planned in Marseille at 13:00 at the Vieux-Port.
Additional protests are expected on June 6 and 13 in 24 other cities.
The group also provides rave attendees with guidance on what to do in the event of an arrest, encouraging those involved to seek legal assistance.
One of their free parties took place on May 2 as part of a protest in Cornusse (Cher), attracting an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 participants on a military firing range (a site considered hazardous due to the possible presence of unexploded ordnance).
Authorities, including the Interior Ministry and local prefectures, say the scale and frequency of such events highlight growing risks to public safety, the environment, and local communities.
