Lyon: anti-police slogans projected during festival of lights

Sunday 07 December 2025 - 07:20

By: Sahili Aya

Lyon: anti-police slogans projected during festival of lights

Several anti-police messages were projected onto building façades in Lyon on Saturday evening during the city’s well-known Festival of Lights, an event that attracts thousands of visitors each December. The projections included phrases such as “the police injure and kill” and “no to a police state,” causing a strong reaction from authorities and police unions.

The Alliance Police Nationale union condemned what it described as defamatory accusations against officers who were ensuring public safety during one of the city’s busiest nights. In a statement posted on X, the organization argued that such slogans fuel hostility toward those tasked with protecting the public.

Fabienne Buccio, the Rhône police prefect, also expressed outrage, calling the messages “an unbearable expression of hatred” directed at national police forces. She reaffirmed her “steadfast support” for officers deployed throughout the festival, noting that more than 500 police officers and gendarmes were mobilized amid a heightened terrorism alert.

Lyon’s mayor, Grégory Doucet, likewise voiced his solidarity with municipal and national police, stressing their essential role in ensuring safety during the four-day event and throughout the year. Local political figure Jean-Michel Aulas also criticized the messages, describing them as a serious attack on public institutions.

Authorities have opened an investigation to identify the individuals responsible for the projections, who remain actively sought.