Hundreds of cars set on fire in France on New Years Eve

On New Year‘s Eve, a total of 874 vehicles were set ablaze around France as part of a decades-old custom.

However, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, that figure is lower than in recent years due to coronavirus-related limitations.

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According to a news statement published by the Interior Ministry on Saturday, 1,316 cars were set on fire in 2019.

However, this year saw a higher number of people brought in for questioning than prior years, with 441 compared to 376 in 2019.

After automobiles and trash cans caught fire in Strasbourg, northern France, 31 persons were arrested and questioned.

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Six of those detained were children who had broken curfew, while the others were suspected of arson, according to Strasbourg authorities, who also acknowledged that four police officers had been injured.

Despite the coronavirus limitations, authorities in central France’s Yonne department stated an unlawful party with 1,500 people was still going on as of Saturday midday local time, with police forces on the scene seeking to manage the situation.

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According to the statement, an investigation will be launched into the “illegal organisation of a festive musical gathering.”

As per government guidelines issued earlier, the French public were encouraged to adopt more environmentally friendly habits such as reducing use of plastic bags and promoting practices of walking and cycling.

The aim is to reduce pollution and the impact of cars on greenhouse gas emissions. The Macron government said the new regulation is expected to eliminate about 1 billion items of plastic waste per year.

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Also in 2022, French phone companies and internet providers will be required to publish an estimate of greenhouse gas emissions created by their online and mobile phone activities to their customers.

The move is intended to improve public awareness of digital technology’s environmental impact. Data centres, which consume energy to build data clouds, are a major source of emissions. According to a Senate report released last year, the sector accounted for 2% of greenhouse gas emissions in France in 2019.