• An important security device will be deployed to supervise the next Festival of Lights in Lyon which will take place from December 8 to 11.

  • The means will be the same as last year: more than 1,400 security and rescue personnel will be on the ground each evening.

  • The Rhône prefecture has also decided to ban the demonstration of the ultra-right collective Les Remparts in order to avoid "serious disturbances to public order".

The event is fast approaching.

Lyon's Festival of Lights kicks off on Thursday, December 8.

For this new edition which will last four evenings, the State and the City will not skimp on security even if the terrorist threat seems to be less present.

A device similar to that of last year will be renewed.

In detail, 550 national police officers and gendarmes will be deployed on the ground as well as 130 soldiers from Operation Sentinel, 200 municipal police officers and 70 public road safety officers.

In addition, 470 private security agents will also be hired.

The Departmental Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Service will mobilize more than 140 firefighters and eight remote fire stations.

They will be supported in their mission by Red Cross first aiders.

Prohibition of the Remparts demonstration

"About forty points will be equipped with anti-ram devices and agents will be responsible, at the entrances, for filtering the public by visual inspection, carrying out security pat-downs, possible identity checks and the inspection of bags and luggage", indicates the prefecture of the Rhône which has, moreover, decided to ban the demonstration of the ultra-right collective Les Remparts scheduled for December 8 at 6:45 p.m.

The latter had called on the people of Lyon to come “to honor tradition and pay homage to the Virgin Mary” during a parade organized on the sidelines of the traditional torchlight procession of the diocese of Lyon.

“This demonstration is likely to generate serious disturbances to public order in view of the recent violence committed by activists from radical movements and xenophobic slogans chanted during the rally on October 21, 2022”, argues the Rhône prefecture.

As a reminder, Grégory Doucet, the mayor of Lyon had requested the dissolution of the group.



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And the mask in all this?

If a health perimeter had been established last year and the mask was compulsory on the peninsula as well as at the Tête d'Or and Blandan parks, this will no longer be the case for this new edition.

On the other hand, wearing a mask “is strongly recommended” in public transport.

  • Lyons

  • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

  • Festival of Lights

  • Security