WORLD

Major protests erupt across Europe against vaccine passports

2 August, 2021
Carl D. Pearson

Huge numbers of protesters have taken to the streets of France, Germany and Italy over the weekend as they vented their serious concerns over so-called coronavirus vaccine passports.

In the city of Montpellier in southern France, protesters gathered on a Covid-19 testing tent, ripping it apart and telling the attending pharmacist, they are an “assassin” and “collaborator.”

Police say they made 72 arrests and three officers were injured during the protests which were attended by some 200,000 people, compared to just 161,000 at demonstrations the previous week.

In some cases, protests against the vaccine passports in France have been organised by former yellow vest members.

In France, proof of vaccination, a negative Covid-19 test or proof of recovery within the last six months from the illness is now required in the form of a health pass, in order to gain entry into museums, cinemas and attractions leading to a major uproar within the general public.

Protesters claim that the pass, which is expected to be extended to restaurants and cafes this month, violates their civil liberties.

The news comes as thousands of Italians took part in similar demonstrations across the country on Saturday against vaccine passports which are due to come into effect on August 6.

Demonstrations took place in Milan, Rome, Bologna, Padua, Genoa, Naples and Florence. In Milan, Prime Minister Mario Draghi was depicted as Hitler, while in Rome a protester carried a large placard in which the premier appeared as a Nazi SS officer.

Meanwhile, in Germany, hundreds of anti-lockdown demonstrators defied a court-ordered protest ban on Sunday and gathered illegally in the streets of Berlin, resulting in scuffles with police.

“They tried to break through the police chain and pull out our colleagues. This led to the use of irritants, batons and physical violence,” Berlin police tweeted.

Some of the demonstrators held up signs saying “Freedom” and “No to the corona dictatorship”.

In the United Kingdom scenes have been captured in London and other major cities with thousands of protesters speaking out against any form of vaccination passports.

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