Sun 02 August 2020:
Thousands of people have marched in Germany’s capital to protest against measures imposed to stem the coronavirus pandemic, saying those restrictions violated people’s rights and freedoms.
The crowds rallying in central Berlin on Saturday comprised an array of groups including opponents of vaccinations and conspiracy theorists, among others. There was also a small far right presence with some marchers carrying Germany’s black, white and red imperial flag.
“Lock them up finally” with pictures of Bill Gates, Health Min Spahn, virologist Drosten, Söder, Merkel and the head of the RKI. #b0108 pic.twitter.com/Ce53YEsORA
— Benjamin Alvarez (@BenjAlvarez1) August 1, 2020
Organisers initially hoped half a million protesters would join the demonstration but police estimated about 17,000 had gathered. A handful of counter-demonstrators also gathered, many under the banner “Grandmas against the right”, and shouted “Nazis out” at those taking part.
Police ended the main demonstration after determining that organisers were not able to ensure health and safety regulations were being followed. They also said they launched legal action against the organisers over “non-respect of hygiene rules”.
The demonstration came as German officials fear a second wave of the pandemic, which has so far killed 9,154 people in the country amid 210,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.
Police officers injured
At least 18 police officers were reportedly injured as they tried to break up a large gathering of people demonstrating against coronavirus restrictions, including the face mask requirement.
Three of the officers were being treated in hospital, Berlin police said on Twitter. It had deployed 1,100 officers to monitor the rally and disperse the crowd.
As German officials warn of soaring infection numbers, the protesters remain defiant. “The virus of freedom has reached Berlin,” said one of the organizers, Michael Ballweg.
Ca. 1100 Kolleg. waren an diesem herausfordernden #b0108 im Einsatz. Stand jetzt wurden 18 von ihnen verletzt, 3 werden im Krankenhaus behandelt. Wir wünschen unseren Kolleginnen & Kollegen gute Besserung.#PM folgt nach Abschluss aller Maßnahmen.
Kommen Sie gut nach Hause!— Polizei Berlin Einsatz (@PolizeiBerlin_E) August 1, 2020
Getting tough on rule-breakers
The protests took place on the same day that German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he wanted tougher action on COVID-19 rule breakers.
“Anyone who deliberately endangers others must expect that this will have serious consequences for him,” Altmaier said.
CSU leader Markus Söder has opposed further relaxation of restrictions as the number of new infections continues to rise. “We must expect coronavirus to come back on us with full force”, the Bavarian Minister-President told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.
“Many people have unfortunately become more reckless in dealing with the virus,” he said.
The number of infections in Germany has been on the rise recently, with 955 new cases recorded on Saturday and 870 on Friday.
The surge has been attributed to the public becoming negligent on hygiene and social distancing rules, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the German government’s disease control and prevention agency.
