A father lodged a complaint Monday after being beaten by four people in a laundromat in Soisy-sous-Montmorency, in Val-d'Oise. The man claims he was beaten after asking another customer to wear a mask.

A customer of a laundromat in Soisy-sous-Montmorency (Val-d'Oise) lodged a complaint Monday after being beaten by four people, including one to whom he had previously asked to respect the instructions of the port of mask to fight against the coronavirus epidemic. The assault took place at around 4:45 p.m. on Sunday in a laundromat located in a popular area of ​​the city, according to the complaint for "aggravated violence" consulted by AFP. *

"I asked the gentleman to wear the mask."

"I was folding my clothes to put them in a bag. I asked the gentleman to wear the mask. It is written that it is compulsory and it is the law", explained to the AFP the victim, a 44-year-old man, who was accompanied by his two children aged five and seven. "He told me 'I do what I want'", he continued, adding that he reiterated this request given the configuration of the premises. 

The instructions for wearing a mask, mandatory in closed places to limit the spread of the coronavirus, are displayed in the laundry, confirmed a member of the union council of the residence. After a heated verbal altercation, the unmasked young man left the laundry room and then returned with reinforcements, according to the complainant. 

Hit the ground

Two men then hit the victim with baseball bats, two others with their bare hands, according to CCTV footage viewed by AFP. The punitive expedition, which only lasted a few seconds, continued once the victim was on the ground, according to these images. Transported to the Eaubonne hospital, she suffered from a head trauma with a wound, bruises and lower back pain, according to the medical report.

CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS

> Coronavirus: three questions on rapid serological tests in pharmacies

> Holidays: should grandparents worry about looking after their grandchildren?

> Coronavirus: in schools, the health protocol will remain the same at the start of the school year

> Coronavirus: the 5 mistakes not to make with your mask

> Coronavirus: what we know about transmission by micro-droplets in the air

The victim, who has lived in this neighborhood for about thirty years, assured that he did not know his attackers. "I had six stitches behind my skull, just above my neck. If they touched my neck it was over, two inches away it was the morgue. But wait ... for a mask ? ", indignant this father, whose children are" shocked ".