July 14: fireworks canceled for health reasons

Parties showered by the Delta variant.

In Lille, Nantes, Roubaix, Nancy, Thionville, Sartrouville, Lisieux, La Roche-sur-Yon and in many other cities, the fireworks of July 13 or 14 have been suppressed to avoid crowds.

In Caen, the municipality warned: "The fireworks are canceled following the announcements of the President of the Republic", indicates the town hall.

In recent days, the executive has been putting pressure on local elected officials, against the backdrop of an upsurge in the epidemic.

Until this telegram from the Ministry of the Interior, signed by Gérald Darmanin's chief of staff, Pierre de Bousquet.

It deals with “fireworks safety”.

It was sent to all the prefects on Tuesday, just before the first fireworks shows were held.

Angry elected officials

The tone is firm. “The national holiday gives rise to many gatherings and fireworks, we can read in this document consulted by our newspaper. You will ensure the rigorous application of all health instructions (…) to prevent the formation of a cluster. "Senior officials are asked to check that there are" places suitable for the public "in order to" avoid large concentrations "and to respect a" minimum distance of two meters "between each spectator.

The day after the Head of State's speech, marked by a stiffening of the rules, the administration shows the muscles: "All offenses will have to give rise to verbalizations" and the prefects will have to work with the security forces to put implementing "rapid and secure dispersions", demands the Ministry of the Interior.

As a result, several events that did not scrupulously respect the instructions could not be held.

Some elected officials, furious at having to stop everything at the last moment, expressed their anger with the government.

“There were a few minor lifts, we put into perspective at Matignon.

It was made clear to them that there was no question of canceling the fireworks but rather of respecting the sanitary measures which are necessary, given the situation ”.

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In Haute-Corse, a decree of July 13 bans fireworks in no less than 34 municipalities including Calvi.

Reason given: the Delta variant is spreading at full speed in particular to "the result of festive events" that have occurred in this city and near L'Île-Rousse.

In this area, 13 positive cases were identified on July 9.

They were 101 three days later.

In Paris, the town hall and the police headquarters have imposed a health pass to attend the fireworks from the Champ-de-Mars, with the obligation to wear a mask in this area.

The public will be limited to 15,000 people and a large exclusion zone set up around the site.

As if that were not enough, the torrential rains led to a cascade of cancellations in many departments affected by bad weather incompatible with pyrotechnics. The 2021 national holiday will keep a bitter taste.