French police have been urged to step up security around Covid vaccination and testing centres after a spate of attacks and vandalism in the last month, reports The Guardian.
As France prepares for a fifth weekend of demonstrations against the health pass, the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, has written to police chiefs calling for greater vigilance. French media reported that the request had come directly from Emmanuel Macron.
It came after the ministry reported that 22 health sites had been vandalised, including five test centres, 15 vaccination centres, a medical laboratory and a health centre, since 12 July.
A number were sprayed with swastikas or graffiti reading “collabos” (collaborators), “Nazi” or “genocide”, or yellow stars.
The vandalism has mostly occurred during demonstrations against the pass sanitaire, a document people must present to prove they are either fully vaccinated, have tested negative for Covid-19 or have recovered from the coronavirus, in order to be allowed access to a number of public places, including hospitals – except for emergency treatment – gyms, sports facilities, cinemas, restaurants, bars and swimming pools.