Pubdate: Fri, 16 Aug 2002
Source: Independent  (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209
Author: John Lichfield,  in Paris
Bookmarks: http://www.mapinc.org/raves.htm (Raves)
http://www.mapinc.org/area/France

LIBERTE, EGALITE... BUT FRENCH TRY TO BAN THE RAVE FRATERNITY

The tribes of the French rave movement were massing yesterday for what
may turn out to be their last stand. The frontier of France and Italy,
high in the Alps, was the battleground chosen by the ravers for a
confrontation with the French government, which they claim is engaged
in a "genocidal war" against youth culture, techno music and large
rave parties.

The French authorities have pledged to enforce rigorously a new law,
giving them the power to seize the sound equipment at any rave that
takes place without written permission. The ravers said the government
has blocked all reasonable efforts to seek such permission in recent
weeks. They insisted that Europe's biggest rave of the year, the
Teknival  " due to last until Sunday, and attract up to 20,000 people
and dozens of bands or "sound systems" from several countries  "
would go ahead regardless.

They took the precaution of pitching their battle lines, tents and
giant amplifiers a few hundred yards over the frontier, inside Italy.
By last night, however, few sound systems had arrived.

The French government had closed the most direct mountain road from
France to the Teknival site, beside a lake on the Col de Larche, just
east of Gap. Musicians and festival-goers were forced to make a long
detour through Italy, delaying the start of the four days of raving.

In this "last stand", the role of Colonel George Custer is being
played by the new French Interior Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, who is
determined to make his name as the man who restored law and order to
France. He has engaged in a series of draconian policies and gestures
in the past three months, including a circular ordering an unbending
enforcement of a new law, introduced by the previous government, which
bans unauthorised raves.

The role of Sitting Bull, or Crazy Horse, has been thrust on the
unlikely figure of Allan Blinkhorn, 38, born in Liverpool and raised
in Winsford, Cheshire, who fled to France 12 years ago to escape "the
Criminal Justice Bill and Thatcherism". In recent years, Mr Blinkhorn,
once a member of the British electric rock band Spiral Tribe, has
emerged as one of the principal spokesmen of the rave, techno or "free
party" movement in France.

Perhaps the stand-off on the Col de Larche will go down in history as
the battle of the little Blinkhorn against the combined strength of
the French state.

"I would not call myself a leader but I have become someone people
trust," Mr Blinkhorn told The Independent. "I have been to the
A%lysACopyright e. I have been to Matignon [the seats of the French President
and Prime Minister, respectively]. I have been involved in
negotiations for months now with various parts of the French state.

"Sometimes the last government would talk to us reasonably. Sometimes
they wouldn't. But this new government will not talk to us sensibly at
all. Their attitude is against youth, against liberty. They want to
commit genocide on the rave movement."

Mr Blinkhorn says that the world of techno music and raves  "
somewhat passACopyright  in Britain but still popular in France  " has "moved
on" from the days when an authorised rave would have been a
contradiction in terms.

"We are not against the principle of advance permission for raves and
guarantees of security and whatever. But they have to talk sense to
us. We are now told that, if 20,000 people are expected on a site, we
have to provide 20,000 chairs. Chairs at a rave? Be serious."

Mr Blinkhorn is married to a French woman, has a small child and lives
in the ArdA"che to the west of the RhA'ne valley. He has not been to
Britain for 12 years and speaks in a kind of northern English
franglais. He refers to the "government French genocide", rather than
the "genocidal, French government" and the "movement free" instead of
the "free movement", but his meaning  " and anger  " are clear.

What is also clear is that he has been categorised by the French
government as a man they no longer want to deal with. Four weeks ago,
he and several other rave organisers were placed under criminal
investigation for "furthering the use of illegal drugs". The only
evidence offered against them was that they had helped to arrange
raves at which banned drugs, such as ecstasy, are known to be available.

Aversion to raves has not been invented by Mr Sarkozy. The previous,
Socialist-led government came under enormous pressure to regulate the
700-plus raves a year  " many of them small  " which take place in
France. Neighbours complained about the noise and the blocked roads.
There was widespread, and understandable, concern about drugs.

But Mr Blinkhorn claims that the new centre-right government  "
driving an agenda partly shaped by the success of the far right in the
first round of the presidential election  " has mis-read the situation.

"Techno and raves have grown up, which is the fate which befalls all
new forms of music and youth culture. We were ready to make deals but
they are driving us underground again," he said.

On Wednesday night Mr Blinkhorn tried to retaliate against the
government, using tactics copied from farmers and other French
malcontents. He urged ravers heading for the Teknival to gather at two
toll stations on the main French motorway route to the south and drive
in convoy as slowly as possible. This is called an "operation
escargot" or snail operation.

Mr Blinkhorn threatened "500 kilometres of bouchons" (traffic jams).
In the event, only a few score cars took part in the demonstration,
causing some tailbacks but nothing out of the ordinary for what is a
long bank holiday weekend.

The decision to site the Teknival just over the Italian border also
seemed to be a point scored by Mr Sarkozy. Earlier, the organisers had
announced that the party would take place "somewhere in the south of
France". They insisted that the frontier venue was intended as partly
a statement of defiance, partly a gesture of goodwill.

In truth, they may have had little choice. Owners and operators of the
sound systems that drive techno music have become wary of venturing
into France and risking the seizure of their gear, which can be worth
tens of thousands of pounds.

Whatever the success of this weekend's festival, the large rave or
"free party" movement may be doomed in France. Rave and techno fans
are already turning to smaller parties, using cheap, disco-type equipment.

As Mr Blinkhorn and others point out, such events will be more
dangerous and less willing to compromise with the concerns of local
people.

Measures are taken to try to prevent drug overdoses, or the sale of
rogue drugs, at the big raves. There will be no such protections if
the movement scatters. "Sarkozy says he is cracking down on crime," Mr
Blinkhorn said. "But he is making us all into criminals."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake