Tens of thousands of people took part in protests against compulsory vaccination, health omissions and other measures against the coronavirus. There were the most demonstrations in Europe, but a wave of discontent also erupted in Australia.
The most numerous were the actions in France, in which all healthcare workers are required to be immunized and visits to public events and establishments are allowed only with health omissions that indicate vaccination, illness or a negative PCR test, writes the newspaper Trud.
A total of 161,000 French people took to the streets of a number of cities in the country on Saturday, police said, adding that their number had increased compared to identical protests a week ago, in which 114,000 people took part at the time.
A demonstration in central Paris led to clashes with police using tear gas. At another rally in the French capital, convened by far-right politicians, “Stop the dictatorship” was chanted. There were also protests in Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse.
Clashes with police also erupted at protests in Athens, involving more than 4,000 people dissatisfied with mandatory vaccinations and restrictions on those not immunized. Protesters in the capital and Thessaloniki have demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accusing his government of jeopardizing the nation’s unity.
Several thousand also protested in Italy against COVID certificates for visiting public places. The largest action was in Rome, gathering about 3,000 people. There were demonstrations in a total of more than 80 cities in the country.
Several thousand opponents of the vaccines also gathered at a rally in central London.
Without masks, in violation of the rules, were thousands of protesters in Australia, whose discontent was provoked by the intention of the authorities to keep the restrictive measures in the country until October. Sixty people were arrested in clashes with police in Sydney.
The French Senate cut Macron
The French Senate has made significant adjustments to the government’s plan, which provides for mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 of health professionals and a health pass for visits to restaurants, cinemas and public events, BTA reported.
The plan, presented last week by President Emmanuel Macron, was voted in the lower house of parliament on Friday, but will have to be amended after a Senate-dominated vote in the Senate.
Among the changes introduced by the senators is the postponement of the beginning of the use of the health pass from August 30 to September 15. Another change is the exclusion from this obligation of minors, as well as that it is not required for the open spaces of restaurants and large retail outlets.
The senators also linked the extension of the health pass to the extension of the state of emergency until October 31.
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