An M6 investigation revealed that social dinners were organized in Paris despite the closure of restaurants, Covid-19 requires.
Several members of the government, questioned on the supposed presence of ministers at these meals, in the words of a "renowned collector", reaffirmed their duty to set an example during the health crisis.
The controversy arose out of a two-minute sequence, filmed with a hidden camera.
In it, broadcast on M6 and widely relayed on social networks since Friday evening, we can see the staff of an upscale restaurant in the "beautiful districts" of Paris getting busy, as during a "classic" service in despite the closure of restaurants since last October and the second wave of Covid-19.
A clandestine opening, as have resorted to it by other establishments since the beginning of the epidemic, as Europe 1 had observed. However, these are the words of a "renowned collector" which will push many Internet users to to be indignant.
The organizer of an illegal meal there declares "to have dined this week in two or three restaurants, which are precisely so-called clandestine establishments with a certain number of ministers, so that [him] gently laughs".
Without specifying his point, the man adds that "we are still in a democracy, we do what we want", while hospital pressure does not weaken in France, with more than 5,250 people in intensive care.
Caviar, champagne, menus from top chefs and compulsory mask removal ... Our journalists were able to enter these high standing clandestine parties which are currently being held in Paris.
@frvignolle Armelle Mehani and @CyrielleStadler exclusively for # 19h45pic.twitter.com / ClXpIWrVwZ
- M6info (@ m6info) April 2, 2021
The ministers "locked up", recalls Schiappa
Sunday morning, questioned in the
Great Meeting
of Europe 1 on these images and these statements implicating ministers, Marlène Schiappa first insisted on the transmission, according to her necessary, of this information to the authorities.
"All this information must be transmitted to the police so that they can be closed," she said, assuring that the latter were "hard at work" to do so.
The Minister Delegate in charge of Citizenship also indicated that she had "absolutely not" participated in these clandestine parties.
"We are 'locked up', we are between the ministries," she underlined, before recalling the equality of citizens before the law.
"If ministers or MPs broke the rules, they must be fined and penalized like any other citizen."
The hashtag #OnVeutLesNames very popular
A remark similar to that of his colleague from Bercy, Bruno Le Maire, for whom "there is no privilege for anyone" during this health crisis.
Personally "convinced" that no member of the government has visited one of these establishments, the Minister of the Economy said he was "curious that this restaurateur gives the names of the ministers" who would be guilty of having participated in these feasts, as he said on LCI and RTL.
A desire for transparency that is also found on the internet, with a hashtag #OnVeutLesNoms widely shared on Twitter.
Many users of the social network are also calling for the resignation of the incriminated ministers, if their presence in illegal restaurants was indeed established.