A mystery man who goes by the name “Jose” spoke to Le Parisien about his nightly efforts to unlock parks which remain shut despite the easing of the COVID-19 restrictions.

“Paris apartments are very small,” he said, and “everything is closed” despite the easing of restrictions, so he reopened the parks to give local residents somewhere to go.

Homemade placards thanking “Jose” have now appeared at a number of Paris parks, according to local media reports.

The mayor of Paris is among public figures who have called on the French government to allow the parks to reopen, but the health minister has refused to budge.