Lyon: Several hundred bikers mobilized on Place Bellecour to denounce the ZFE

"Today is exceptional, it's historic," said Christophe, spokesperson for the French Federation of Angry Motorcyclists (FFMC) of the Rhône region. The FFMC, together with the Defenders of Lyon collective and several elected officials including Bastien Joint and Gilles Gascon, called for a large-scale demonstration this Saturday, May 17, at Place Bellecour to denounce the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the Lyon metropolitan area.

The meeting was set for 2 p.m. and, under a beautiful blue sky, several hundred bikers, shopkeepers, and residents gathered to denounce the "liberticidal" measures of the City and the Metropolis of Lyon. "This is truly act 2 of our mobilization," Christophe continues to explain . "Since the beginning, we've been working with everyone, not just bikers. And we see it today, we've left the biker bubble. It's exploded, and now the shopkeepers and motorists have joined us." Two-wheel enthusiasts were particularly angry, but also feel helpless. One of them confided: "With my work, I travel a lot. I have an MP3 motorcycle and unfortunately, due to a detail on my registration document, it is considered Crit'Air 3 even though I bought it in 2011. But I have no choice, so I use it despite the ban."