One of Europe's oldest and biggest street markets, in the northern French city of Lille, has been cancelled over security fears, mayor Martine Aubry said Friday, reports FRANCE 24.
The annual market, which dates back to the twelfth century, is a huge tourism draw and attracted 2.5 million visitors to the city in 2015.
Aubry said that the decision to cancel the event – known as the ‘La Braderie de Lille’ - was prompted by "risks we cannot address".
The socialist mayor of Lille said, “It’s heart wrenching to make this decision.”
“But to have sharpshooters on roofs at the market, riot police on each street corner and helicopters and drones flying overhead would not be in the spirit of the market,” explained Aubrey, who sought to run for president of France in 2012.
However, the decision has sparked fury in some quarters.
Thierry George, head of the northern French UMIH trade and hospitality union, slammed the decision as “incomprehensible”.
“It was taken without any thought for the economic impact and it’s going to be very bad for Lille’s image, especially abroad,” the union leader told AFP.
“I appreciate there is no such thing as zero risk, and that we are in a state of emergency, but we could have found a way to let the market go ahead.”