The police contingent deployed across France has been increased fivefold for New Year’s Eve in order to prevent people from violating the Covid-19 curfew and staging illegal parties to mark the arrival of 2021.
The curfew, which has been imposed between 8pm and 6am, must be “respected,” French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday.
To execute this order, more than 100,000 police officers, some 32,000 firefighters and 7,000 soldiers have been mobilized across the country on December 31. In Paris alone, some 9,000 officers are assigned to patrol the streets. The number of police working on the ground on an average day in France is around 20,000.
Law enforcement will show “zero tolerance” to those violating the restrictions aimed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, Minister Delegate in charge of Citizenship Marlene Schiappa warned. An infringement of the curfew is punishable with a fine of 135 euro. (RT)