A black metal music festival linked to neo-Nazi ideology defied a ban by local authorities and was held near Lyon on Saturday.
The event, dubbed “Call of Terror,” took place in Vézéronce-Curtin last night 24 February, a historically symbolic date that marks the foundation of the Nazi Party in Germany in 1920.
The authorities say they learned “towards the end of the afternoon that the venue for this concert was in Vézéronce-Curtin, in Isère, in a communal hall that had been rented to a private individual without the commune knowing the reason for or nature of this gathering.”
Despite a ban issued by the police, the festival’s organiser refused to comply.
As a response, the police set up five checkpoints on all major access routes to the small town, home to 2,000 residents and located less than an hour from Lyon, a stronghold for the far right.
The authorities reported systematic checks were carried out with a view to potential legal action against the organisers or attendees.
Organisers face a risk of six-months imprisonment and a fine of up to €7,500, while participants could incur a fine amounting to several hundred euros.
Headlining the festival was Polish band Graveland, notorious for its Third Reich glorifying songs, among others such as Leibwätcher (Bodyguard), a reference to Adolf Hitler’s division tasked with protecting the Nazi leader.
