Published
Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 15:25
- The proposed legislation aims to tighten restrictions for music events and increase fines to €3750.
The French Senate has approved a bill targeting raves.
The proposed "anti-rave" legislation, which was voted on by the Senate late Tuesday, October 22nd, aims to "strengthen the supervision of rave parties and sanctions against their organizers." The bill will next be presented to the National Assembly—the last step before being adopted into French law.
According to Trax Magazine, the new measures include: requiring "meetings" of 500 people or fewer to "declare" with the local mayor's office at least a month in advance; and changing parameters on noise levels, administrative deadlines and other criteria. Not complying with the new regulations could be punishable by a €3750 fine and seizure of equipment, such as soundsystems.
"They are basically passing the law that the UK passed in the '90s," Jennifer Cardini told Resident Advisor. "I find this scary and devastating."
The French-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer also noted that this could especially hurt young promoters still working to establish themselves. "It is a way to make sure that it's very difficult for young people to organize a party," she said. "It's already difficult to get permits, other authorisations—the paperwork is huge. If you're a young person putting on a rave, that fine is a lot of money, not to mention that they can just take your equipment and soundsystem."
The legislation states the motivation behind these regulations is to "ensure public safety, public health, hygiene and tranquility, avoid nuisances in the neighborhood and limit the impact on biodiversity." However, tensions between the authorities and clubs and promoters have been running high in recent years over drugs. Last year, the Paris police issued a warning to the club community over cases of overdoses and one death related to GBL and GHB. In September, police forced the closure of Concrete's new venue, Dehors Brut, after an alleged drug death occurred outside the venue. (The club was allowed to reopen about a month later.)
Cardini described how this legislation is "counter-productive." "After the incidents and deaths in the last year, every time the response has been repression instead of meeting with club owners, party promoters and the different organizations fighting for more prevention and dialogues," Cardini said. "We don't get a chance to have a say in this. You have the feeling that these politicians were never young. It's unrealistic, it's dangerous. It'll create more problems than sitting down at the table and talking together."
Listen back to an interview on The Hour with harm reduction researcher Dr. Russell Newcombe.
This story has been updated to clarify that this bill is still not final.
Translation: Francis Vianne
Photo credit: Sky News