Two self-proclaimed anarchist groups have claimed responsibility for a large-scale power outage that plunged parts of southern France into darkness over the weekend, affecting more than 160,000 homes, disrupting public services, and briefly impacting the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
The blackout, which occurred early Sunday, affected several cities including Nice, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, and Cagnes-sur-Mer. According to French authorities, the outage was linked to a fire at an electrical transformer in the Moulins district of Nice. The public prosecutor’s office confirmed the blaze appeared to be an act of arson.
Local officials say the attack had significant repercussions, knocking out traffic lights, cash machines, and other critical infrastructure. Although power was restored to most areas by 6 am., the disruption had already caused considerable alarm, especially as the region had just experienced another blackout the day before, affecting the same number of homes.
In an anonymous letter reportedly published on Sunday, the anarchist groups declared: “The aim of the action was not only to disrupt the festival, but also to deprive all industrial establishments of electricity.” However, they failed to offer a clear motive behind the targeting of the Cannes Film Festival or industrial sites.
Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi condemned the act, calling it a “malicious attack” and announcing plans to bolster security around key electrical infrastructure in the coming days. “I strongly condemn these malicious acts that affect our country,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), confirming that the city will file a formal complaint over the incident.
Authorities also revealed that the outage was not isolated. In a separate but possibly related attack, a high-voltage substation in the Var department was set ablaze, and a power pylon in the Alpes-Maritimes was found sawn down.
Despite the scale of the disruption, the Cannes Film Festival continued its final day as planned, thanks to an independent power source that kept the event running smoothly.
Chioma Kalu
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