Europe sees protests over new restrictions

Protests were held across Europe against compulsory vaccination, lockdowns and use of the Covid pass.

Roxana Vasile, 22.11.2021, 13:50

While in the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic that
began almost two years ago most people respected the sometimes very tough restrictions
in place, in the hope that things would gradually return to normal, many have
started to lose their patience recently. The pandemic is not only not abating,
but many countries are again considering harsh measures, some vehemently contested,
like compulsory vaccination, full lockdowns and differentiated treatment.

Austria, for example, has moved for a full lockdown
for 20 days and vaccination will become mandatory from February. The lockdown will
be over on 13th December for vaccinated people and for those who
have recovered from the infection, but the unvaccinated will remain in lockdown
for an indefinite period. This is why tens of thousands took to the streets in
Vienna at the weekend. Protests were also held in Rome. In The Netherlands, in
The Hague, as well as in other smaller cities, the protests against tougher
restrictions turned into street riots and clashes with the police, who made
over 100 arrests. In Brussels, tens of thousands of people took to the streets,
some throwing projectiles. The police used water canons and tear gas in response.
The demonstration, which was held under the motto Together for freedom, mainly
denounced the fact that unvaccinated people are denied access to restaurants
and bars. France, which is seeing a surge in new cases, must also manage the
tense situation in its overseas regions, with the police in Guadeloupe receiving
help from Paris to deal with the violence erupting over the compulsory vaccination
of the medical staff, while calls for a general strike were made in Martinique.

Romania also saw some protests, although on a much
smaller scale than in western Europe. In Ploieşti, in southern Romania,
hundreds of people put up banners criticising the measures taken to combat the
pandemic, while in Craiova, people read passages from the Constitution referring
to individual freedom, personal safety and freedom of expression. In Sibiu, in
the centre, protesters waved the Romanian flag and sang patriotic songs; and in
Constanţa, on the Black Sea coast, a protest was held against the use of the green
certificate. (CM)