In Marseille, owners of restaurants and bars protested against the government’s decision to shut down catering facilities in the city due to an increase in new cases of coronavirus infection.
Representatives of local authorities have also protested against the new sanitary restrictions.
Several hundred protesters gathered in front of the Marseille Court of Arbitration. The place was not chosen by chance.
“We are not going to come here to file for bankruptcy,” said Bernard Marty, head of the Bouche du Rhône Hotel Industry Union.
Local government representatives from various political parties also came to support the protesters. Local officials are opposing the government’s decision to close bars and restaurants in Marseille and the 90 communes surrounding the city, particularly Aix-en-Provence.
Some restaurateurs have stated that they do not intend to comply with the authorities’ decision and will work. Their démarche was supported by Deputy Mayor of Marseille Samia Gali. She promised that the local police would not fine establishments that decided to stay open.
The meeting also demanded that the French Minister of Health, Olivier Veran, come out.