The driver in Bayonne had refused to allow several people – who had no tickets and were not wearing masks – to board the bus on Sunday night, a police source told AFP news agency.
Union sources told France Bleu’s local radio station that the driver had attempted to prevent the group from bringing a dog on board the bus. The mayor of Bayonne condemned the “barbaric act”, the station added.
The driver is in his 50’s.
Bus drivers in the area are refusing to work.
Five people have been arrested.
France has had a total of 167,000 COVID-19 Cases, 60,000 which are active and 30,000 deaths.
