As it happened

France honours military and heroes of Covid-19 response at Bastille Day parade

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a Bastille Day parade on Tuesday that was rededicated to celebrating the heroes of the fight against Covid-19, including medical workers, cashiers and postal workers. See how events unfolded on our live blog.

© Christian Hartmann, Reuters
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  • Macron said the ceremony was a "symbol of the commitment of an entire nation" in the fight against Covid-19
  • Just 2,000 soldiers – half the usual number – took part in the scaled-down ceremony on place de la Concorde, where several dozen doctors, nurses and others on the frontlines of the pandemic were given pride of place
  • The annual event marks the storming of the Bastille fortress that triggered the French Revolution in 1789.

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