French bus driver beaten to death by passengers over face masks

PanARMENIAN.Net - A French bus driver who was badly beaten by passengers after asking them to wear face masks in line with coronavirus rules has died, his family said, according to The Telegraph.

His death has sparked tributes from political leaders who condemned his "cowardly" attackers.

Philippe Monguillot, 59, was left brain dead by the attack in the south-western town of Bayonne last weekend and died in hospital on Friday, July 10, his daughter Marie said, after his family decided to switch off his life-support system.

"We decided to let him go. The doctors were in favour and we were as well," she told AFP.

Two men have been charged with attempted murder over the attack and prosecutor Jerome Bourrier told AFP that he would ask for the charges to be upgraded after Monguillot's death.

French prime minister Jean Castex led tributes to Monguillot.

"The Republic recognises him as an exemplary citizen and will not forget him. The law will punish the perpetrators of this despicable crime," he tweeted, describing the attack as "cowardly".

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who was due to meet some of Bayonne's bus drivers on Saturday and discuss the security situation, labelled it an "abhorrent act".

"The coward responsible must not go unpunished," he said.