Critics continue to accumulate to sanction the management of Redon’s rave party. Three months after the intervention of the police in the middle of the night to evacuate the thugs from the old racecourse, it is an investigation by Amnesty International which is added to the multiple criticisms already formulated. Accused of having prevented the emergency services from intervening despite the sometimes very serious injuries of some revelers, the police are again singled out. In its report, the NGO stands against the violence but also against the gratuitous and illegal destruction of sound equipment the day after the failed evacuation.
After interviewing twelve people present on the spot and going through the numerous videos, Amnesty came to the conclusion “that the use of force was neither necessary nor proportionate, contrary to what the basic principles of the United Nations require. on the use of force and French law ”. The NGO believes that “human rights violations were committed in the context of law enforcement operations” on the sidelines of the teknival. “It is unacceptable that operations to maintain order, a fortiori to disperse a simple festive gathering, lead to injuries to the point of mutilation”, criticizes Cécile Coudriou, president of Amnesty International France.
“Extremely dangerous and blind conditions”
During these clashes which lasted a good part of the night, a young man from Rennes lost his hand. But he was not taken care of by the emergency services, who were unable to access the site. It was on his own, helped by other revelers that he was taken to the hospital by car. A total chaos that the NGO cannot digest. “The police did not respect the principles of necessity and proportionality provided for by international law on the use of force. This was used as a first resort, without mediation or prior communication, without instruction on how to evacuate the site, in a field, at night. Grenades were thrown at people gathered at a festive gathering, in extremely dangerous and blind conditions, while these weapons can mutilate, ”Amnesty said in its report.
New investigation into police violence in France.
Last June, a 22-year-old man had his hand torn off during a rave party in Redon.
Our report “Redon: free-party of repression” analyzes a drift in the maintenance of order. https://t.co/ocDxogWyK4
– Amnesty International France (@amnestyfrance) September 14, 2021
Several preliminary investigations were opened by the Rennes prosecutor’s office following this evening which was to be a tribute to Steve Maia Caniço, who drowned during a police charge on the sidelines of the Music Festival in Nantes. Even before knowing the conclusions of these investigations, the NGO calls for “the creation of an independent body responsible for investigating complaints filed against law enforcement officials”, in order to avoid “the responsibilities of the gendarmes and of their hierarchy are not engaged for this operation ”. Like many other organizations, Amnesty International is also calling on the French government to ban explosive grenades in law enforcement.