12 July,2020 07:25 AM IST | Bayonne (France) | Agencies
Pic/AFP
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, sparking tributes from political leaders who condemned his "cowardly" attackers.
Philippe Monguillot, 59, was left brain dead by the attack in the southwestern town of Bayonne last weekend and died in hospital on Friday, 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 said. Two men have been charged with attempted murder over the attack and prosecutor Jerome Bourrier said that he would ask for the charges to be upgraded following Monguillot's death.
France's 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".
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged people living in the country to return to work if they can, signalling a significant shift away from the current government policy, it was reported. Johnson has announced it is time for people to live their lives "more normally", adding that he wanted to see the public heading out into the world with more confidence.
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