Protesters rally in France, Germany against mandatory COVID rules

Protesters have taken to the streets in cities across France and in Berlin, Germany, to express their opposition to the government-imposed COVID-19 regulations.

The French Interior Ministry announced that approximately 158,580 protesters took part in the rallies for the 7th consecutive weekend in cities around France on Saturday.

Media reported that the number of protesters, who included members of the yellow vest movement, had dwindled from 175,500 protesters a week ago.

Sixteen people were arrested and three police officers were slightly injured in protests across the country.

Addressing protesters in Paris, Florian Philippot, leader of the far-right Les Patriotes (The Patriots) political party and likely presidential candidate in next year's election, criticized the government of Emmanuel Macron over mandatory COVID vaccinations and the extension of the controversial health pass system.

France sees 6th weekend of protests against 'health pass'

Protesters in France demonstrate against the controversial COVID "health pass" for the sixth weekend.

Posting photos of the rally, Philippot tweeted, "The spirit of France is here and it is rising."

#Manifs28aout L’esprit français est là et se lève ! De plus en plus de monde ! 🇫🇷
Les gens crient « Liberté ! » « Résistance ! » pic.twitter.com/bngOaiD0je

— Florian Philippot (@f_philippot) August 28, 2021

He urged the protesters to cry out for liberty and resist the mandatory COVID restrictions.

Placards held by protesters at nationwide rallies demanded freedom. One banner read, "Welcome to Controlistan."

"The vaccine isn't the solution," said retiree Helene Vierondeels, who attended the right-wing protest rally in Paris. "We should rather be stopping the closures of hospital beds and continuing the barrier measures."

"We aren't laboratory rats," said an 11-year-old boy who was marching with his father in Bordeaux. "We live in a free country, there are no figures that justify mass vaccinations," his father said.

The French government claims, however, that most of the COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals are unvaccinated.

It also insists that the health pass system is necessary to encourage vaccination and avoid a fourth national lockdown.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID patients hospitalized in intensive care units dropped on Saturday for the first time in nine days, dropping by 11 to 2,259.

The health pass system requires people who want to go to public places such as large shopping centers, restaurants and movie theaters, or ride on a long-distance train to submit their vaccination card or documents showing they have recently tested negative for the coronavirus. 

Most of the population in France has received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine.

In Germany, thousands of protesters gathered in the capital city of Berlin to take part in a protest led by the right-wing Querdenker group against the German government's COVID restrictions, despite bans against several gatherings.

Thousands of standby riot police walked alongside protesters, most of whom were unmasked, as helicopters monitored the situation from the air. 

"The police will enforce the assembly bans, be present accordingly and protect the government quarter in particular," said a police spokesperson before the rally.

About 50 people were detained, some for assaulting officers.

Scuffles in Berlin as 'Querdenker' protesters rally against COVID restrictions

German police arrest several hundred protesters gathering in Berlin to protest against COVID restrictions.

Protesters in Berlin waved German flags and anti-lockdown slogans emphasizing freedom.

Similar protests took place in Berlin in early August.

The protest ended in clashes between police and the protesters with hundreds of people being detained.

BREAKING – 🇩🇪Germany: Massive police violence reported in Berlin during today's peaceful anti-COV_ID protest pic.twitter.com/kYGwJCyhIC

— Mr. Wolf (@mole_cola) August 28, 2021

Also, another group in Berlin rallied in support of the restrictions. Demonstrators backing the government COVID restrictions and opposing the Querdenker movement chanted slogans in support of Berlin’s diversity and calling for more social cohesion.

Berlin police said they dispersed the counter-protesters when the crowd became too big to allow for social distancing.

Berlin's left-wing groups did not take part in either protest.

Coronavirus infections in Germany have risen by more than 2,000 cases since last week.

As of Saturday, Germany reported 10,303 new daily infections while about 61 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

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