PARIS (Reuters) – French police cleared the banks of the River Seine in central Paris on Saturday over concerns people were getting too close together and not respecting coronavirus social distancing rules.
Hundreds of people were asked to leave the area – popular for strolling and picnicking on sunny days – and police officers closed the riverbanks for the rest of the day.
“Social distancing rules are not being respected,” police called out through a megaphone.
The French government has resisted putting the capital and its surrounding area back under lockdown despite a rise in coronavirus cases and growing numbers of patients in hospitals. However, Paris is under curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The country reported 23,306 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, just slightly down from 23,507 on Friday. There were 170 new deaths, taking the total to 88,444.
(Reporting by Michel Rose; Writing by John Irish; Editing by Frances Kerry)
