Faced with a revival of Covid-19 infections, the French authorities stopped everything to ensure that France would enter safety in 2021. An existing nationwide nightclub was enforced on New Year’s Eve by about 130,000 police officers; all public celebrations were banned and the government advised to limit private gatherings to six people.
That did not stop about 2,500 partygoers from attending an illegal New Year’s raven near the city of Rennes, in northwestern France.
A statement from local authorities said many of the revealers were still at the illegal party site on Friday morning and that police could not stop it. Paramedics were deployed at the site to distribute gels and masks in an effort to limit the risks of coronavirus contamination, and prosecutors announced they had begun an investigation into the illegal organization of the event.
Police tried to prevent the demonstration “but they encountered many hostile enemies”, said the statement, adding that stones and bottles were thrown at them, and that a police car was set on fire.
The rave near Rennes and other large-scale illegal parties across France that were broken up by police has raised concerns about the spread of the coronavirus as the country continues to suffer from the second wave of the pandemic.
With more than 2.6 million confirmed cases of coronavirus – the highest number of cases in Europe – and about 65,000 deaths, France has paid the pandemic hard.
On Thursday, health authorities announced that a first case of a new coronavirus variant linked to South Africa had been reported in France, while the seven-day average of new daily infection cases exceeded 13,000 – more than double the government’s daily target of 5000 new infections to alleviate constraints.
To fight an increase in infections in parts of the country, the French authorities announced on Friday that they would promote the night clock in 15 of the 101 departments of France or administrative divisions by two hours. The evening clock is at 18:00 rather than 20:00, which starts on Saturday.
As hospitals are still struggling to cope with the second wave of the pandemic, the French government is under pressure to take action, while authorities fear that holiday gatherings at the end of the year will lead to a recovery in Covid’s infections. 19.
In a note submitted to the government on December 23 and released on Tuesday, the French Scientific Council – an advisory body to the government for the Covid-19 crisis – recommends acting swiftly in the light of ‘ a ‘possible’ resumption of the pandemic that may soon be ‘out of control’.
The French government has for the time being ruled out returning to full exclusion, despite pressure from some local authorities, but Olivier Véran, the French health minister, has warned that a relaxation of the restrictions imposed on pubs, restaurants, museums and theaters forced to close will likely be delayed.
“At this stage, and depending on the evolution in the coming days, it seems hardly conceivable to lift all the restrictions,” said Mr. Véran said.