The scene strongly reacted. As France completed its first day of deconfinement, several dozen people gathered along the Canal Saint-Martin, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. In images filmed by journalists, we see groups of people close to each other, most of the people present not wearing masks.
Read also: How Macron prepares the next stage of deconfinement
Only a few minutes after the images were posted on social networks, the police were deployed and dispersed, without arrest or verbalization, the people gathered.
In the evening, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner immediately reacted. In a message posted on Twitter, he said that he had asked the Paris police prefect "to prohibit the consumption of alcohol along the Canal Saint-Martin and the waterways on the banks". Indicating that "the success of deconfinement requires prudence and good citizenship", he castigated "the irresponsibility of certain behaviors".
The prefecture of police was quick to act. In a press release, the prefect of police said to carry out the request of the Minister of the Interior from Tuesday, May 12.