On Sunday, more than 2,000 football and hockey fans in the Czech capital, Prague, protested against Covid-19’s restrictions on the sport, and the protests escalated into clashes with police.
The protesters violated the rule that allows up to 500 people to take part in the demonstration if they are divided into groups of 20 people and wear face masks.
Many demonstrators did not have face masks.
After the number of protesters exceeded 500, the demonstrators stopped the protests. It happened about an hour after the start of the demonstration, but more aggressive protesters then got involved in clashes over police.
They ransacked police officers with beer bottles, firecrackers, stones and other objects, to which the police responded with tear gas and water jets.
Police reported that several protesters confiscated sticks and firearms.
Several police officers were injured and needed medical attention.
Czech Prime Minister Andrei Babiss has posted a video on social media urging citizens to abide by the rules the government has put in place to fight the new coronavirus and to stay home if possible.
The Czech government banned all sporting events on Monday for two weeks, except for international competitions. Bars and restaurants are also closed and it is forbidden to gather more than six people. The exception is demonstrations.
The number of people infected with the new coronavirus in the Czech Republic has risen sharply in recent weeks.
More than 8,700 new cases of Covid-19 were detected in the Czech Republic on Saturday, authorities said today.
In the country as a whole, almost 169,000 people have been infected with the new coronavirus, of whom more than 1,350 have died.
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