Friday 8 May, 5 p.m. There are several hundred waiting for over 300 meters in the heart of the popular Goutte d'Or district, in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. Sesame: a mask in thick colored fabric, offered by the Barakatou boutique, specialized in West African fabrics. These dressmakers made more than 600 for local residents.
" I do not have the means "
A free mask three days after deconfinement: an unexpected opportunity for many precarious families in northeast Paris. "I really can't afford to buy a box of 50 masks for € 50," says Nathalie, from the neighboring 19th arrondissement. "50 € for masks, the poor cannot be bought, you have to say the reality," says Mamadou, 73, a resident of the 10th arrondissement.
At each corner of this interminable queue, the same stories of poor families faced with the prices of masks, yet soon mandatory in Parisian transport during rush hour.
If the government has undertaken to cap the sale price of each surgical mask at 95 cents, the bill quickly becomes unaffordable for large families: "I cannot afford to buy ten masks five times" , deplores Nacéra, mother of three children.
"The police closed the shop"
But Nacéra will have to leave empty-handed, despite part of the afternoon spent waiting. After less than an hour of distribution, the police force the managers of the solidarity store to lower the curtain.
The gathering had become too massive. "There were a lot of people, we were overwhelmed," regrets Pathé N'Diaye, salesman at Barakatou, forced to go up the queue to announce the bad news.
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"We did not respect the safety distances, the police closed the shop," said the trader in his sky blue tunic, in front of a disappointed crowd. "It's a shame ! How do we do ? "Apostrophe Nacéra, once the seller is up to par," There is nothing provided. " "I am the mother of three children, I don't have much money, how am I going to do?" », Sighs Hélène next door.
To avoid other massive gatherings, Barakatou's traders are already thinking of new channels to sell these donations. "There for the moment, we will try to work with the associations that will be responsible for distributions," promises Pathé N'Diaye.
