Second unexploded shell found at illegal French rave: minister

France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, background center, walks with Cher Prefect Philippe Le Moing Surzur, at right, as he arrives near a "teknival" rave party at a military site, in Cornusse, near Bourges, in Bengy-sur-Craon, central France, Sunday, May 3, 2026.

A second unexploded shell has been found at a French military site where thousands of revellers have spent the past three days partying at an illegal rave, the country’s interior minister said Sunday

The unauthorized rave known as a “free party” kicked off on Friday at a firing range near the central town of Bourges, some 200 km (120 miles) south of Paris.

Organizers said that up to 40,000 people from France and neighbouring countries attended, defying warnings about the danger of unexploded munitions, while Interior Minister Laurent Nunez put the turnout at 17,000.

Philippe Le Moing Surzur, the top local official, has warned that dancing at the site was “extremely dangerous due to the unexploded ordnance” dating back to World War II.

On Saturday evening, bomb disposal experts had to intervene after a shell was discovered near a road passing through the party site.

“A second one is currently being dealt with,” Nunez told reporters after flying over the party site in a helicopter. “When the prefect warned that this was dangerous land, it was not a joke.”

But organizers said they had chosen the firing range near Bourges — Nunez’s hometown — on purpose, to protest against proposed legislation aimed at toughening penalties against organizers of free parties and their participants.

Organizers insisted that no major incidents had taken place, but Nunez disputed that account.

Twelve people were taken to hospitals, including “due to drug consumption”, he said, adding five people were taken into custody.

Tougher sanctions

Officials hastily put security measures in place after thousands of revellers converged on the 10,000‑hectare site, spread across several villages, having arranged to meet via encrypted messaging services.

The organizers have urged attendees to refrain from lighting fires, digging or picking up any objects.

“I didn’t know the land was mined,” one reveller told AFP.

“Obviously, it does take away a bit of peace of mind, but we’re careful,” said the 36‑year‑old school teacher from Brittany who came with four friends.

By early Sunday afternoon, several stages were empty and many were leaving, an AFP journalist saw.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with local residents, Nunez said the defiance of the organizers only strengthened his determination to ban such events.

He said the government would seek to “crack down more effectively” on illegal gatherings that “our fellow citizens do not understand.”

“To ensure this doesn’t happen again, sanctions must be toughened,” he said, adding that 600 fines had already been issued.

Nunez also said those who attended the party would be fined for entering a military site and for taking part in an illegal gathering.

“Unfortunately, at present, these offences are only punishable as minor violations,” the minister said.

In April, the French parliament’s lower house approved a bill introducing penalties of up to six months in jail for anyone who plays a direct or indirect role in organizing or facilitating an unauthorized or banned rave party.

Participation in organizing such an event is defined broadly, extending as far as the “dissemination of practical information.”

The minister said authorities logged 337 illegal music events in 2025, typically drawing around 300 attendees, with four percent attracting crowds of more than 1,000 people.