Paris (AFP)
The opening of parks and gardens in Paris, demanded by the mayor Anne Hidalgo, is "untimely given the liveliness of the circulation of the virus in the Ile-de-France region," the government spokeswoman said on Wednesday. from the Council of Ministers.
"Paris is in the red zone" and the region is "very densely populated with multiple potential interactions", recalled Sibeth Ndiaye.
In previous communications from the government, "we considered that the opening of parks and gardens was inappropriate given the liveliness of the circulation of the virus in Paris and in the Île-de-France region, and we did not return to this decision, "she added.
Mrs. Hidalgo, who had already asked that they be reopened before wiping out the refusal of the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, insisted Wednesday morning, considering that it was astonishing that one can "take the metro but not walk in a park ".
"I think it's a public health issue," said the socialist mayor. "If you do not open the parks and gardens to the promenade, to do sports, to walk, not to picnic there, Parisians will be sent back to sidewalks or to spaces like the banks, the canal Saint Martin ", she argued, referring to the residents who had benefited Monday from the first evening of deconfinement along the canal by ignoring social distanciations.
"We can filter the entry of people and say at some point that the gauge is reached if there are too many people. And if we open the parks and gardens, I will impose the compulsory wearing of the mask through their regulations , which are municipal, "said Anne Hidalgo.
© 2020 AFP