Trial Commences in France for the Death of Bus Driver in Altercation Over Wearing Face Masks

Two men in south-west France are facing court charges for allegedly beating a bus driver to death after they refused to wear face-masks. The incident took place in Bayonne in July 2020, when Philippe Monguillot, 59 years old at the time, was assaulted and later died in the hospital five days after the attack. The two defendants, now aged 24 and 25, are accused of delivering fatal blows and could potentially be sentenced to 20 years in prison if found guilty. According to prosecutors, the altercation occurred because Mr. Monguillot asked three passengers on his bus to present their tickets and properly wear their face-masks, which they had been wearing incorrectly beneath their chins. The incident unfolded after the end of France's initial Covid lockdown, during which masks had become mandatory on all public transportation. During the confrontation, Mr. Monguillot was kicked and punched, resulting in his head hitting the pavement upon falling. The news of his death caused shockwaves throughout the country, prompting thousands of people to participate in a protest march led by his widow in Bayonne. The mayor of the city condemned the act as "barbaric." The trial for the accused, Wyssem Manai and Maxime Guyennon, is scheduled to commence on Friday at a court in Pau, located 112km (70 miles) east of Bayonne.