Protesters douse health ministry building in France with red paint
Story highlights
They also placed a giant, medal-shaped banner dubbed 'Medal of Contempt' on the steps of the French health ministry, to highlight what they said was the government's failure to listen to the concerns of healthcare workers.
Protesters in France doused the country's health ministry building with red paint, to symbolise the blood of those who died from COVID-19 and to demonstrate against poor working conditions for public sector healthcare workers, on Saturday.
They also placed a giant, medal-shaped banner dubbed 'Medal of Contempt' on the steps of the French health ministry, to highlight what they said was the government's failure to listen to the concerns of healthcare workers.
President Emmanuel Macron's government has decided to pay a 1,500 euros ($1,676) bonus to public sector healthcare workers, in recognition of their role during the coronavirus outbreak.
Violence broke out this week at another protest held by healthcare workers in Paris.
Meanwhile, France is set to shake off its coronavirus blues on Sunday with cinemas opening on the stroke of midnight and thousands of people taking to the streets for its midsummer music festival.
Since the start of the outbreak, the death toll in France stands around 29,600 with confirmed cases of infection rising slightly, to 1,58,641.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed an excess of 450,700 people worldwide, with total infections reaching over 8.4 million, while more than 4.11 million people have recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by the US-based Johns Hopkins University.