It's a nice springtime gesture in theory, but in practice may not turn out so rosy, despite the free-flowing rosé (bad pun intended): After a Facebook group planned a giant flash mob cocktail scheduled to take place near the Eiffel Tower on May 23rd, local authorities have warned organizers that the gathering would be illegal and a potential security hazard.
French reports said up to 50,000 people were expected to flock to the vast open area near the foot of the Eiffel Tower known as the Champs de Mars on Sunday May 23rd for cocktails and mingling, in what the organizers have billed as the "largest 'apero' ever". "Apero" is the shorter everyday term for apéritif, or before-dinner drink, in French. But police reportedly created their own Facebook page, threatening organizers with fines and imprisonment and saying drinking alcoholic beverages on the Champs de Mars was illegal. They also said such a spontaneous gathering of thousands of people could pose a major security risk. On Thursday, a 21-year old participant at a similar event in Nantes, France died after falling off a bridge. He had reportedly been drinking heavily. The incident has prompted a flurry of editorials on the potential dangers of the "flash apero" trend in France among young adults, who some say are binge-drinking more than previous generations.
Assuming the event is held as planned despite the ban, I'm advising visitors to Paris to stay away for safety reasons: the contention over the issue with the police may draw some rowdy participants, and the event may turn out to be less than convivial.
Opinions needed! I’m investigating flash mobbing for my final year geography dissertation at the University of Nottingham and require opinions of people who have participated in one or more flash mobs. If you could take just a few minutes to complete my questionnaire I’d be very appreciative. There’s also a chance to win a £10 iTunes voucher! Just follow the link below.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DG758TG