Protesters spray French health ministry red, support medics

French activists staged a flashmob outside health ministry's building where they put up a sign reading "Accounts of Shame" and a fake medal. Emmanuel Macron offered medals to medics who battled the virus, but public hospital workers want higher salaries and more investment instead, and some have refused the medals.

Paris: Activists on Saturday sprayed the front of the French health ministry red in support of medical workers, who are demanding higher pay and more hospital staff after the country's health care system struggled to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Attac France group staged a flashmob outside the building where they put up a sign reading "Accounts of Shame" and a fake medal.

President Emmanuel Macron offered medals to medics who battled the virus, but public hospital workers want higher salaries and more investment instead, and some have refused the medals.

The protesters sprayed the mock medal and the ministry with red paint, symbolising blood.

Aurelie Trouve, a spokesperson for the group, said the government had "blood on its hands".

She added, "Giving a medal to the hospital workers, is really not a good answer. The good answer is to give tools, means and more workers to the hospitals."

AP