Rennes (AFP)

“Don't touch my party!”: Several hundred “party people” gathered on Saturday in Rennes to defend the “free parties” and against the “repression” launched after the rave in Lieuron (Ille-et-Vilaine), during 'a demonstration that ended in clashes with the police.

"We are here to show that we will not let it go ... but peacefully!", Explained Florian, a 24-year-old cook, who took part in the Lieuron party.

Like him, several hundred young chirkers gathered on Saturday afternoon in the city center of Rennes, in an initially good-natured atmosphere.

Police counted 800 people, including protesters against the Comprehensive Security Law.

"It's been 30 years that the free parties exist and 30 years that they are repressed", regretted Florian, who says to have been fined three times during the New Year's party.

"We should not incur 10 years in prison just for having made dance," added Kahoura, 18-year-old interim, carrying a sign "Don't touch my chick! All organizers".

"If anyone has to take, it's all of us because we were all there, we are all responsible," she explained.

"We didn't do anything wrong, we just wanted to celebrate the New Year. It was so hard, we needed to get away from it all," she added.

"We didn't mean harm to anyone: it was just a great big boom," approved Mélanie, a 20-year-old real estate student, who was holding a "Peace and Love" sign.

"We're like everyone else, we're not bad people. We just don't have the same style."

The young woman said she regretted that the organizers of the Rave party were, according to her, prosecuted more severely than some people accused of rape.

Around 4:00 p.m., after three hours of gathering, some people tried to install a "sound system" (transportable sound system), passed through the mesh of an imposing police device.

The police then intervened to confiscate the equipment, the use of which had been prohibited by the prefect.

The intervention provoked clashes between demonstrators and the police for nearly two hours.

The demonstrators threw various projectiles at the police who responded with tear gas canisters and a water cannon, while many passers-by were shopping on the first Saturday of sales.

At least one window has been smashed, AFP noted.

The police reported on Twitter "numerous arrests", the seizure of the "sound system" and a restoration of order "with professionalism and cold blood".

"The police charged without the slightest warning the demonstrators who were peacefully awaiting the speech of the organizers", on the contrary estimated the organizers of the demonstration in a statement, noting "several people" injured.

"The prefecture's contempt for youth and culture will only strengthen our determination", they added, demanding "the end of the disproportionate prosecution" against the organizers of the Rave party.

Nine people are indicted and placed under judicial supervision in this case.

A 22-year-old man, imprisoned for 18 days, was released on Friday.

In Bordeaux, at least a hundred people gathered at the Place de la Victoire in front of a banner "Justice will be celebrating".

© 2021 AFP