Police could be spreading coronavirus instead of enforcing the lockdown in France due to a lack of masks and gloves, a police union spokesperson told RT after the government was accused of not issuing protective gear to officers.

"Security officers, police and other people, who uphold law and order in the country, need to be protected. This virus doesn't distinguish between police, medics and other citizens," Christophe Crepin, spokesperson for the law enforcement union, France Police – Policiers en colere, told RT.

We are not even sure that we – police officers – are not potentially infecting people when we do our checks. So, we need masks and other protective equipment to keep us safe and others.

Around 100,000 police officers were deployed to enforce a strict 15-day nationwide lockdown that took effect on Tuesday.

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However, professional unions said the government has failed to provide the officers with enough protection. The biggest police union – Alliance Police nationale – warned that its members will walk off the job unless they are given facemasks, gloves and hand sanitizer gels.

Under the new restrictions, people must stay home unless they carry a travel pass explaining where are they going and why. All non-essential movement is banned, and Interior Minister Christophe Castaner has threatened to fine those who violate the curfew.

Authorities hope the lockdown will slow down the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease that has already killed 450 people in France. Overall, more than 12,600 people have tested positive for the infection in the country.

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