The carnival-type gathering in the port city drew mostly young people, many of whom expressed frustration at restrictions on gatherings and the closure of bars and nightclubs during the pandemic. Marseille was not among the 16 different regions which entered a fresh lockdown on Saturday, although the wider département of Bouches-du-Rhône is on the list of areas ‘at risk’ of further restrictions due to high case numbers and pressure on local hospitals. MAP: Is your French département at risk of going into ‘lockdown light’? Nine people had been arrested and dozens had been fined, she said. Over the New Year period, around 2,500 young people broke a national curfew to attend an illegal rave in northwest France which embarrassed the government and led to questions as to why the partying was allowed to continue for two nights by the police.

Source: The Local March 22, 2021 09:21 UTC