The boss of this driving school in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande is on hunger strike against the health measures that prevent him from working -

MEHDI FEDOUACH / AFP

"As long as I do not reopen, I will not eat," said Patrice Reynaud, 60 years old.

Installed in front of his establishment, the owner of a driving school in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande (Gironde) has been observing a hunger strike for ten days to protest against the health measures which forbid him to give driving lessons, has he indicated to AFP on Wednesday.

"Organized to last six to eight weeks", he intends to "draw the attention of the public authorities to their inappropriate decisions, cut off from the field", he explained, "I do this for all those whose only means of living is their small business, restaurateurs, hairdressers… ”.

According to him, his driving school has lost 100,000 euros since the start of the health crisis

Patrice Reynaud, who says he has already lost 5 kg and only absorbed "water, orange juice and coffee", says he did not hesitate to take this "action" despite his diabetes .

“I underwent the first confinement, I did not want to undergo the second!

If I didn't do anything, I couldn't look at myself in the mirror… ”.

According to him, his driving school has lost 100,000 euros since the start of the health crisis and his bank account is in the red of 55,000 euros.

He also says he has made a point of paying his five employees since March, even if he had to resolve to put them on short-time work in early November.

However, the Girondin, who deplores not having received any sign of support from his profession, does not want state aid.

“I would rather have the business reopened than go begging, I want to work!

".

"I go home every two days to wash and change"

The sixty-year-old has set up a blue tent on the sidewalk in which he sleeps, with messages "no money", "no donations", "no internet kitty thank you" pinned.

“I come home every other day to wash and change,” he says.

A nurse comes to take his blood pressure regularly.

The words "On hunger strike" are spread out roughly on the front of the driving school, with a letter addressed to the authorities, and a book of complaints has been opened for the signature of passers-by.

"We are three generations to have passed our license here, it's the family," says Nelson, 23, who says he comes almost every day.

"I was told to go for a walk in the emergency room and that afterwards I'll shut my mouth ..."

"In the vast majority, the reactions are positive but some who have been affected by the Covid, have insulted me", says the sixty-year-old with graying hair and a full beard.

"I was told to go for a walk in the emergency room and that afterwards I will shut my mouth ... But I do not put anyone in danger, it is the State which puts people in danger (financially, editor's note)".

Patrice Reynaud had tried to continue driving lessons when the reconfinement was announced but the gendarmes came, according to him, to call him to order after a week.

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  • Confinement

  • Covid 19

  • Society

  • Coronavirus

  • Driving school

  • Hunger-strike

  • Aquitaine

  • Bordeaux