This comes after Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo asked for the green spaces to be reopened if visitors wear face masks.
“Considering the need of Parisians, Paris is a very dense city, I’m asking again for a reopening of parks and gardens” she said on Twitter Tuesday. Veran said Tuesday he had seen video of people gathering on the Seine river banks Monday and although that’s a “reflex which can be understood” he stressed that it was also dangerous. “No we will not open parks and gardens in Paris, in the Parisian region or in any other region classified as red” he added.
“It is not because we don't want people to be able to go out and get some fresh air, but because it can be extremely tempting, in sunny weather such as we have today, for people to gather too much, not respect the group limit of 10 people and as a consequence, not respect the social distancing measures,” Veran said.
Since April 28, France has been classified into green zones where the infection rate and ICU occupancy is low, and red zones where it is higher. Green zones, unlike the red ones, were able to start reopening parks and public gardens on May 11.