Paris bans alcohol by Seine River as crowds violate social distancing after coronavirus lockdown liftedclose
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Paris has banned alcoholic drinks along the banks of the Seine River after police were forced to break up crowds flouting social distancing guidelines just hours after France emerged from its eight-week coronavirus lockdown Monday.
Some Parisians celebrated the beginning of a return to daily life with beer and wine by the water in the French capital despite the government’s social distancing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
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In videos posted online, police used megaphones to disperse the crowd along the Canal Saint-Martin.
The Paris police chief later issued a ban on consumption of alcoholic drinks along the banks of the Seine River, saying he “deplored” having to take action to ensure distancing on the first day of de-confinement.
Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner said the decision was made because of the “irresponsibility of certain behaviors.”
“The success of # deconfinement depends on everyone's prudence and civility,” he wrote on Twitter.
France eased some restrictions Monday as part of its roadmap to reopening. Hairdressers and nail salons were among the businesses that could resume services under new health and social distancing requirements.
But as the country started to lift its national lockdown, officials reported an acceleration in coronavirus cases.
France’s Health Ministry reported 456 new cases Monday, more than doubling in just 24 hours, Reuters reported. Daily deaths also quadrupled to 263, from 70 on Sunday.
Clothing stores, coiffures and other businesses large and small reopened on Monday, with strict precautions to keep the coronavirus at bay. The French began leaving their homes and apartments for the first time in two months without permission slips as the country cautiously lifted its lockdown. (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)
Both Germany and South Korea have also reported jumps in the number of cases since easing national lockdowns.
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There were 177,547 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 26,646 deaths in France as of Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
