Philippe Monguillot.. a French bus driver died in hospital days after he asked the passengers to put on their face masks, but instead, they have badly beaten him, an incident that have prompted condemnation from the country's political leaders for the actions of the aggressors.
The driver Monguillot, 59, was put on the life-saving resuscitation devices, but his family asked the medics to stop it following his brain death.
Maria, daughter of Monguillot, said that her father was attacked by the passengers in Bayonne (southwest France) and died in the hospital.
The senseless attack happened on Sunday, when Monguillot refused to let a group of passengers on the bus because they were not wearing face masks. Four men–three of whom were not wearing masks–proceeded to attack Monguillot before fleeing back to one of their apartments.
"Mr Monguillot was pushed off the bus, violently beaten and kicked in the head after he asked three men to wear masks and tried to check another man's ticket late last Sunday," Bayonne's prosecutor said.
French prosecutors have charged two of the men with attempted murder. The other two were charged with “non-assistance to a person in danger” and one was charged with “attempting to hide a suspect.”
Monguillot left behind his wife and three children and his death has prompted outrage and protests within the community. On Wednesday, his family, fellow bus drivers, and protesters organized a silent march in his honor, which started from the bus station where the attack took place.
[caption id="attachment_137277" align="aligncenter" width="382"]
Veronique Monguillot (C), wife of bus driver Philippe Monguillot, carries her husband's photo in the silent march[/caption]
French Prime Minister Jean Castles greeted Monguillot and wrote on Twitter: "The Republic recognizes him as an ideal citizen and will not forget him. The law will punish the perpetrators of this sordid crime."
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