COVID-19 cases are surging in Europe inviting reimposition of restrictions from the governments of many European nations, leading to protests, sometimes violent, from the people who don’t want it.
In Netherland, violence erupted during protests in several cities overnight, including The Hague, Roermond, Stein, Urk and Bunschoten. Dutch police have arrested 28 participants in the late-night protests against COVID-19 restrictions across the country, the country’s media reported on Sunday. The Mayor of The Hague declared a state of emergency in several districts. The protests followed the announcement of a new set of restrictive measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 that will be effective until December 4. The restrictions obligate essential shops and supermarkets as well as drugstores, restaurants, cafes, and bars to close at 20:00. Other shops, hairdressing and beauty salons should close at 18:00. Sporting events should be held without spectators, but the restrictions do not affect concert halls, movies, and theatres. The social distancing of 1.5 meters (5 feet) was reimposed and people were recommended to work from home.
About 35,000 people gathered in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday to protest against new COVID-19 restrictions. The atmosphere surrounding the march has been rather tense, and the police have already arrested several people after protesters began throwing beer cans at law officers working security detail, the spokesperson said. Opponents of restrictions took to the streets of Vienna after Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced another full lockdown due to COVID-19 and the start of a universal compulsory vaccination from February 1, 2022.
“This is a coronavirus dictatorship.”
Protests over new COVID restrictions across Europe have turned violent, as the continent tries to tackle rising infections. #NOVAX pic.twitter.com/0eSaTxu3HS
— Protest News (@ProtestNews_EN) November 21, 2021
Zagreb, Croatia speaks. No more COVID law. pic.twitter.com/9IQ8GkendP
— Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) November 20, 2021
Brussels police used tear gas against participants of a protest against COVID-19 restrictions, who responded by starting to build barricades, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Sunday. The authorized protest gathered about 35,000 participants and resulted in traffic blocked in several streets and tunnels in the city centre, the police said. Belgians protest the progressive applicability of COVID-19 certificates, which the government has made a prerequisite for accessing a range of public spaces, including restaurants, movie theatres and gyms.
NOW🚨 Violence erupts in Brussels amid Covid-19 rules protest in Belgium.
— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) November 21, 2021
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people 7-day rolling average in Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands, according to a report published in Our World data. Due to limited testing, the number of confirmed cases is lower than the true number of infections.
