Some supermarkets have reportedly refused entry to children on the grounds that they pose a risk of coronavirus contamination. The Defender of Rights, Jacques Toubon, strongly condemned this practice, which is illegal.

Testimonies have multiplied in recent days. On social networks, several parents said they were refused at the entrance to a store because they ... were accompanied by a child. Indeed, certain supermarkets or hypermarkets prohibit them from entering their establishment, on the grounds that young people, who may be healthy carriers, represent a risk of contamination with coronavirus.

The Defender of Rights, Jacques Toubon, was moved by these testimonies and strongly condemned this practice on Wednesday. "Food stores cannot therefore legally prohibit their access to people accompanied by one or more children, nor ask these people to leave their children at the entrance of the store, including at the cash desks or at the guard of a vigil, "he wrote in a press release.

"No children in the market, they can be healthy carriers of the virus"

Laurence, a 46-year-old single mother, had to negotiate to enter a Paris store with her 6-year-old daughter. But at the entrance, this Parisian ran into the refusal of the vigil, as she told on Europe 1. "He told us: 'You can come back, but on the other hand, the little one will wait in the cash register'". Finally allowed to enter with her daughter, Laurence then had to face the looks of the other customers. "We are treated like plague victims", she says

Le Parisien newspaper also told the story of a single father and his son, who were unable to enter a market in the Toulouse region last weekend. "For the protection of their health, no children in the market. They can be healthy carriers of the virus and vectors of disease. Thank you for your understanding," it was written on a sign.

Other parents said they suffered a similar mishap on social media:

Say @intermarche! Do you find it normal for a single mother to be turned away from the entrance to your #Montivilliers supermarket because she has her 5-year-old child with her? In full confinement, should she leave him in his car alone for food? Shameful! # COVID19

- Elodie Dlny (@elodlny) April 1, 2020

Practices that infringe on children's rights

The Defender of Rights had already condemned this practice in a series of tweets published Tuesday evening. "The refusal of children to access food stores is not part of the restrictive measures relating to the fight against the spread of Covid-19, as detailed in the law of 23 March 2020 on the state of emergency health and enforcement orders. These practices infringe the rights of individuals, especially single parents and their children, "he wrote.

Forcing a parent to leave his child alone outside a store, or alone with an adult he does not know, constitutes an infringement of the child's right to be protected from any form of violence. https://t.co/1Np5dS2q0X

- Rights Defender (@Defenseurdroits) April 7, 2020

"The Defender of Rights, responsible for monitoring compliance with the International Convention on the Rights of the Child in France, recalls that children have the right to be protected from any form of violence. This obligation to ensure protection is essential everyone, "concludes the press release.