This afternoon, the Federal Parliament of Lauchenoiria voted to extend their five-year ban on fireworks to make it permanent. The temporary ban was put in place following an “epidemic” of PTSD across the country in the aftermath of the Second Lauchenoirian Civil War. Now, following a government consultation exercise which suggested that upwards of 70% of the population support extending the ban, Parliament has legislated to remove the end-date, making the ban permanent.
“This is fantastic news for so many,” said Deputy Prime Minister Lucie Scott, who championed the initiative, following the passage of the bill. “The ban has been supported by a combination of mental health professionals, animal welfare specialists, disability rights groups and environmental groups. There are numerous populations and ecosystems that are negatively impacted by the use of such pyrotechnics, and this will ensure that in Lauchenoiria, at least, we are free from these impacts.”
In 2017, the last year prior to the civil war, an estimated 436 individuals were admitted to hospital due to injuries from fireworks. Of this, 83 were under the age of 18. Three people across Lauchenoiria were killed by firework-related injuries in 2017, including a 15-year-old boy. Additionally, approximately 17 dogs were killed in the first hour of New Year’s Day of 2018 when a number of firework displays took place across the nation. Although only one of these deaths has been conclusively linked to fireworks, it is believed that they were the triggering effect for the other accidents.
The move has been praised by a number of organisations and groups, including the Lauchenoirian Dog Protection Society, the Association of Mental Health Professionals, the Lauchenoirian Autistic Rights Platform, and Climate Alliance Lauchenoiria. However, there has been some limited opposition from businesses including a number of supermarket chains and hardware stores. Controversial far-right Lauchenoiria First leader Paul Doberman has also voiced his opposition.
Doberman visited Zongongia this afternoon, where he joined with a number of Lauchenoirian and Zongongian self-described “free speech activists”, who set off a number of fireworks along the river which marks the Lauchenoirian-Zongongian border during daylight in protest. The stunt attracted negative attention from both sides of the border, and one participant was reportedly arrested by the Zongongian police for carrying a knife alongside the pyrotechnics.
As an alternative to firework displays, Lauchenoirians are urged to find “safer, quieter, less disruptive alteratives”; such as taking advantage of modern projection technology for light displays. Most cities have used such technology for New Year’s celebrations since the start of the temporary ban at the end of 2018 and will continue to do so.
