Coronavirus: French Police Disperses Huge Party

The French police dispersed a huge party in northwest France that had been going on since New Year's Eve, in defiance of the curfew and restrictions imposed by the novel coronavirus on big gatherings.

Police said about 2,500 people attended a party in an unused warehouse in Lieuron, near Rennes, and some clashed with police on Saturday.

The French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, said on "Twitter" that fines were imposed on the party-goers when they left the site.

“The party’s organizers had been identified and would be prosecuted,” he added.

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Ille-et-Vilaine Prefecture said 450 fines were imposed for attending an illegal party, breaking curfew and not wearing masks.

Moreover, local health authorities urged party-goers to isolate themselves for seven days.

After the clashes, Rennes' prosecutors opened an investigation into the illegal organization of a music event and violence against the security forces.

A police car was set on fire, and three others were wounded.

The Party-goers threw bottles and stones at the French police, and a number of officers were lightly injured.

With the largest number of cases of COVID-19 in Western Europe, France is working to intensify the Covid-19 restrictions through imposing an early curfew in 15 provinces in the northeast and southeast of the country, starting today, Saturday, starting at 6 pm instead of 8 in the evening.

France has already had two national closures since the outbreak began. The last closure was eased in mid-December, but restaurants and bars are currently banned and it is not clear when they can reopen.