French police break up 300-person party amid second lockdown

Police outside Paris forcibly dispersed a large-scale party Saturday amid the country’s second coronavirus-related lockdown.

Paris’ Police Prefecture tweeted that the party had at least 300 attendees which they called “total disdain for health rules.” The prefecture later tweeted at least one attendee had tested positive for the virus and that everyone who attended should get tested.

Local media said the party had been heavily promoted on social media and that when police arrived a fight was in progress, according to The Associated Press. Police also reported a separate party, smaller but still in violation of lockdown rules, held by medical interns at Tarbes’ Bigorre Hospital.

Cette nuit, à #JoinvilleLePont, les ‍♂️ sont intervenus pour une soirée dans un pavillon.
300 personnes présentes, dans un mépris total des règles sanitaires, ont été évacuées.
➡️ Plainte des ‍♂️ pour violences, les “convives” mécontents leur ayant, de plus, lancé des bouteilles… pic.twitter.com/xAePKYbWsJ

— Préfecture de Police (@prefpolice) November 14, 2020

The national lockdown, which began two weeks ago amid rising caseloads throughout almost all of Europe, is effective through Dec. 1, according to the AP. Like in Germany, some institutions that were closed during the initial lockdown, such as schools, are open during the second lockdown.

The virus has killed nearly 43,900 people throughout France since the pandemic began in spring. Earlier in the weekend, the nation reported 32,095 new cases of the virus in a 24-hour period, while deaths among hospital patients increased by 359 from the previous 24 hours.