Rillieux-la-Pape Choreographic Center Incinerated in Night of Urban Unrest
Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, March 26 – The National Choreographic Center of Rillieux-la-Pape suffered extensive damage after being set on fire during a new wave of urban violence that swept across the Lyon agglomeration from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The incident, which occurred around 4:00 AM, saw more than twenty firefighters mobilized to control the blaze at the facility located on Avenue du Général-Leclerc in the Velette district.
The center, which had only recently reopened after a previous fire in 2017, is now expected to remain closed for several months due to the significant damage to both its ground floor and upper levels. Antoine Guérin, the Prefect Delegate for Defense and Security, visited the site on Wednesday morning alongside Mayor Alexandre Vincendet, at the request of Regional Prefect Fabienne Buccio.
The CCNR is a vital hub for urban culture, poised to launch an innovative program for Rillieux-la-Pape families with the arrival of a new choreographer selected in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture. This incident represents a significant setback for the community and its cultural initiatives.
Widespread Incidents Across Lyon Agglomeration
Rillieux-la-Pape was not the sole target of the night’s unrest. Other incidents were reported in La Duchère (Lyon 9th arrondissement), Vaulx-en-Velin, Saint-Priest, and Vénissieux. While it remains unconfirmed if all these events are directly linked to the tensions in Rillieux-la-Pape, they collectively point to a broader pattern of urban disturbances.
In Rillieux-la-Pape, a police car was pelted with stones, and three construction vehicles were set ablaze on Rue Auguste-Renoir in the Alagniers district. These acts of violence followed a series of disturbances that began last Saturday after a young man was bitten by a municipal police dog during an intervention that drew criticism from some local youth.
Attacks on Police and Evacuations
In La Duchère (Lyon 9th), around Gisèle-Halimi Square, approximately fifteen masked individuals ambushed police officers between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Officers were targeted with stones and fireworks mortars, resulting in minor damage to a police vehicle, though no officers were injured. Firefighters, who were also attacked while attempting to extinguish car and debris fires, required police protection to carry out their duties. Calm was eventually restored after the deployment of tear gas.
Vaulx-en-Velin saw a municipal video surveillance camera destroyed and four cars set on fire in an underground parking lot of a residential building on Avenue Roger-Salengro around 1:15 AM. The arson is suspected to be intentional, leading to the evacuation of about a hundred residents. A municipal police vehicle was also reportedly destroyed, and fireworks mortars were discharged, with barricades set ablaze. Preliminary incidents near the police station had occurred the previous day.
In Vénissieux, a group of about twenty individuals reportedly threw projectiles at police officers around 7:00 PM on Tuesday. Similar urban violence was also reported in Saint-Priest.
Arrests and Reinforcements
Authorities have made several arrests in connection with these incidents. Three individuals were apprehended in Vaulx-en-Velin on Tuesday for aggravated assault and arson. One arrest was made in Rillieux-la-Pape for throwing projectiles. In total, twelve arrests related to urban violence have been made in Vaulx-en-Velin and Rillieux-la-Pape in recent days.
In response to the escalating situation, several CRS (Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité) units, including CRS 8 at the request of the Minister of Interior, and CRS 83, are being deployed as of Wednesday afternoon to reinforce local law enforcement.
